Mightier Than The Sword
by Barzu
Summary: How well did they knew Jaune Arc? Team RWBY finds out the hard way when Ruby cracks open a book she found in the classroom one day. Each page, a tale of his real thoughts, his love for them, and the burden he carries. Jaune X Harem. Rated M because I might dabble in tasteful smut or very violent scenes.
1. Prologue

_**Mightier Than the Sword**_

_I was going through my mind when I remembered a strange little ficlet I read that reminded me why I wanted to write._

_The Story is on the Site, though it hasn't been updated in years, I still enjoy it and…I wanted to play tribute to the story that will constantly inspire me to write._

**Prologue**

**Lineage, I decided, was a word that I grew to hate. Phrases that reminded me of my final journey, my one true purpose in life, have always haunted me ever since I could remember. Honor and sacrifice; the true blood that flows through me. But I've always wanted to be more. **

**I'm probably confusing you. My name is Knight. Well that's what I am. And I have only one purpose in life; to destroy. My family, for the longest time, has been warriors, bred for combat, and lusts for the call of battle. Even as I bare my soul with this pen, I can feel its call, the thirst of a good fight.**

**If you met me before reading this, you would probably think I'm strange. My appearance is unassuming, un-heroic in stature to my ancestors. **

**As I write down my thoughts, I want to appreciate the princesses that have appeared in my life. As a Noble Knight, it is my duty to protect them from harm. Heh…yeah right. They've saved my tail more often than not.**

**But I will use this time to talk about them, for they are the reason I am still pursuing my dream…even if eventually I will have to give it up.**

**::::**

Ruby blinked as she read those words again. She had found this strange, leather bound book in the classroom one day. She had wondered who had dropped it, and opened it up to see if someone wrote their name in it. What she didn't expect was a story. Someone was writing a book about themselves and it sounded pretty heavy.

"Hey sis, what'cha reading?" Ruby looked up to see her sister Yang enter the room to their dorm.

"I found this book in the classroom one day, and I just decide to read it," Ruby explained as she motioned Yang to come over. "It looks like it was written by another student, but…"

"But what?"

"It seems…like the writer is hurting on the inside," Ruby said sadly. "It's only been the first few paragraphs and I'm already feeling for the guy."

"Huh," Yang borrowed the book and began reading. "Wow…he does seem a bit…depressed about his lot in life. He said his only purpose in life was to destroy. That's pretty dark."

"Keep reading. Maybe we can find out who this guy is?" Ruby suggested.

"Good idea, sis.'

::::

**But I will use this time to talk about them, for they are the reason I am still pursuing my dream…even if eventually I will have to give it up.**

**As I said before, my name is Knight, and my family consists of warriors that have been in battles throughout the ages. A…lineage… that I have to live up to or die trying. I realized a long time ago that I could never attain true happiness; a true happy ending like my princesses.**

**What lies before me is a path of carnage; a path that will lead to my eventual death.**

**But…I digress…**

**My true purpose of writing this is to remember the princesses that I have met; their radiance and beauty will forever keep me on the path of light:**

**The Jewel Flower; whose innocence and beauty are only matched by her heart.**

**The Snow Angel; whose cold demeanor hides a pure soul; radiant and lovely.**

**The Mistress Shade; silent, alluring and loyal to her comrades.**

**The Golden Inferno; passionate, incandescent belle that cares for her allies.**

**The Gladiator; my partner, whose strength is only matched by her beauty and her kindness.**

**They are my friends, my princesses, and dare I say it…the ones I love the most. **

**They are the reason I continue growing stronger, and they will be in my heart when I die. **

**::::**

Yang and Ruby had tears in their eyes. They knew who wrote this. The signs were all there, right in front of them.

"Yang? Ruby? Are you okay?" Weiss and Blake entered the room to see the sisters weeping.

"R-Read this," Yang said, handing them the book before hugging her sister.

"I-I didn't know he felt like this," They heard Ruby mutter into her sister's arms.

Looking confused, both Weiss and Blake sat down and re-read the passages the sisters read, their eyes widen and their hearts breaking as well.

"Y-Yang," Blake said to her partner, tears threatening to fall. "Who wrote this?

Yang looked up and said one name. "Jaune Arc."

::::

**I remember when I first saw Jewel Flower and Golden Inferno; both are sisters, though they don't appear so. It was upon the day I shamefully regret and painfully remember. **

**I was never the warrior my family wanted to be. I was foolish, headstrong, and willing to commit to my early demise. I had lied to the institution in which I attend; falsified documents to gain admittance. **

**It was the blackest, darkest thing I've ever done, and even though the Wizard knew I did, he allowed me to continue my education. The Witch did not like that decision, not one bit.**

**The sisters were talking, happy to be within each other presence, reminding me of my own family. Though my mind quickly, went elsewhere as I, Knight, have a crippling weakness. **

**Motion Sickness.**

**It might not seem as much, but my family of warriors all has this debilitating trait, to counteract our blessed ability to strategize and to win battles. Moving vehicles will never agree with me or my stomach.**

**My… first impression with the sisters left more to be desired. Releasing my breakfast near Golden Inferno's shoes would do that.**

**Eventually the devil machine had released its hold onto me, and I could find balance within myself.**

**I found myself lost looking at Wizard's grand castle, where I will be staying for the next four years. So lost, that I almost missed my sighting of my other Princesses. Jewel had somehow fallen into Snow's luggage. It was…amusing to see them interact for the first time, not knowing that they would become partners in their quest to fulfill their goals. Snow was waving a bottle of dust in front of Jewel and I guess it wasn't properly secured as a red cloud came from it, tickling the nose of Jewel**

**Jewel sneezed and the area exploded in a flash of fire.**

**Not soon after Snow's tirade commenced, Mistress Shade appeared, quiet as I would soon appreciate, graceful, beautiful. Shade and Snow traded words and left poor Jewel alone in her confusion and sadness.**

**She was lying on the floor, looking just as lost as I felt, and I could see the loneliness within her beautiful silver eyes. **

"**Hey, I'm Knight." Short and simple I kept it as I offered her my hand. She smiled at me and it took everything in my power to not proclaim her the most beautiful maiden in the land. **

**We spoke for a while, getting to know one another. I was happy to know that I would be her first friend at the castle. **

**And this friendship sparked a revolution within my heart. I would become who I was meant to be, even if it meant death.**

**::::**

The girls sniffed as they tried to school their emotions.

"T-That dunce," Weiss began, but there was no heat in her words. "How can he be so naïve in person and so beautiful and eloquent in his writings?"

"What do you think he meant by dying?" Blake asked. All she got back from her team was sad, confused looks.

"I don't know," Ruby finally said after a while. "But let's keep reading. Maybe he wrote the reason why in the book somewhere." The Girls nodded and turned to the next chapter.

::::

**Jewel and I finally found the amphitheater where everyone else was. Golden called out to her sister and Jewel went to her. I was slightly hurt, but they were family and I had no right. Still I couldn't help but to utter:**

"**Great, where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to?"**

**Alone, but still in high spirits, I wandered the crowd, looking for a friendly face to talk to. During my quiet search I stumbled upon Lotus and Kara, two that I would eventually call my allies.**

**Lotus was a stoic man; calm and regal in his stature.**

**Kara was wild, hyper, and as beautiful as my Princesses.**

**I had a feeling that they were together-together and not just together. I would later ask Kara this later. Me thinks the lady doth protests too much.**

**::::**

Yang giggled as the others looked at her. She saw the looks and clarify, "I asked Nora one day if she and Ren were dating. She swore up and down that they were friends and not together-together. It sounds like Jaune doesn't believe her either." The others laughed and continue reading.

**::::**

**After observing them both, I happen to overhear Snow talking with Jewel.**

"**Yeah! And we can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys like tall blonde and scraggly over there!"**

**Let me remind you, dear reader, I already had a low sense of self-worth. I was here to prove that I had what it takes to step away from my own lineage, and forge my own legacy, and I wasn't like most men my age, who worked out exclusively. I will admit that Snow's words hurt more than I will show, but I had already guess that it was a part of her personality. She didn't know me at the time and was just using me as example, so I swallowed the pain and took in stride. **

**I will admit, seeing her exasperated look when I walked up to her and told her I was a Natural Blond was the most adorable thing ever. **

**Now that I think about it, I wish she would smile. I think that would be one the more cherished memories I will treasure upon my death.**

**::::**

"There it is again!" Blake exclaimed getting frustrated. Weiss was blushing intensely at Jaune's words. "Why does he keep referencing his own death? And why does he sound like he's anticipating it?"

"He also keeps mentioning about his lineage as well," Ruby pointed out. "Maybe they're connected?"

"Keep reading," Yang said with a smile. "I've noticed, he said he was going to talk about his princesses, and yet he's been retelling everything that happened before the initiation."

**::::**

**Let it be known that my father has a sense of humor. Despite being the one pushing so hard for me to accept my destiny, the man could be a complete joker.**

**The man somehow snuck out my boxers and tank-top for the blue footie pajama's my baby sister bought for me for my birthday. She thought I'd look good in them, bless her innocent soul. I wear them with pride you know, just for her. The looks, the laughs, I will endure them all for my sisters. **

**My father, on the other hand, I'm going to beat him with a tire iron the next time I see him. We'll call it training, just like the good old days.**

**Please note that I'm not a violent person, but please, spend a day with my father when he's in one of his joking moods and tell me you wouldn't do the same. I will call you a liar. **

**The next day found me frustrated. I couldn't find my blasted locker. For all the tactical data I can process within a second, it was very easy for me to get lost. Another hindrance of my accursed bloodline, perhaps?**

**I digress. After finding my locker and retrieving the bane of my existence, I stumbled upon Snow looking down right sinister for some reason. **

**When that girl emotes, she's is downright adorable.**

**Next to her was the person that would become my partner, Gladiator.**

**A champion and a beauty, not that I knew the former, the latter was what attracted me to them. That sounded shallow, yes, but when our eyes met…**

**I had to repress the shudder of pleasure that ran across my spine. Those beautiful jade eyes that told stories of battles and victories, but had a longing for a companion to see her for her and not the champion she is…**

**I lamented to myself. Why were there so many beautiful women here, all of them I was clearly unworthy to even be in their presence? I guess this was the price for my lie. **

**Ignoring my own feelings, I struck up a conversation with them.**

"**You want to know what else is great? Me, Knight, nice to meet you." I greeted cheekily. I wanted to rile up Snow again. **

**Boy did I; and she did not disappoint. "You again!"**

**Gladiator saw the humor dancing in my eyes. "Nice to meet you, Knight."**

**I gave her a quick smile before rounding onto Snow, "So Snow, couldn't help but hear your fondness of me the other day."**

**And there was the exasperated look again, "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"**

**I could see Gladiator was amused out of the corner of my eyes. I don't know why, but I couldn't help but to antagonize Snow a little, even though she and Gladiator are the only two who could understand my burden. **

**And deep down, I hope they never understood the price of my burden.**

**::::**

"This is it," Ruby said, her hand was on the finger leading to the next page. "I think he's going to actually talk about what he means by his death…" The girls nodded. Despite how they felt individually about Jaune, they were curious to why his words sound so melancholic and dark.

"I'll have to say," Yang commented. "I didn't know his flirting with Weiss was just to get a reaction out of her."

"And it did hurt," Blake said quietly. "He said he wasn't even worthy of being in our presence. We can all agree that Jaune is a nice, loyal friend…"

"He can be an idiot sometimes," Weiss huffed. "But I will admit; he is a friend."

"It's kind of sad," Ruby added. "I thought I knew Jaune…but now I feel terrible. It's like he was putting on a front for all of us, just to keep us happy." They all nodded at her words.

**::::**

**As I said before, my purpose in life was to destroy. Whenever there is a male member of my family out in the world, a battle was imminent. It might not happen soon, it might take even years, but conflict will arise. And where there is conflict, I will find my place in the world, on the front lines, killing anyone who dares cross my path. This is the truth of my family. We seek out conflicts, and we bathe in the blood of our enemies. War, skirmishes, battles…If there is wide scale violence, my family will be there. **

**And I am cursed to say; I will be there. I will enjoy the blood bath. And I will die a hero on the battlefield with a smile on my face. This is the true legacy of my family. My lineage of death.**

**I just…I just hope my Princesses will forgive me. They are friends with a man who will become either be marked as a hero…or a murderer.**

**End of Prologue**

_Just a quick review:_

_Jewel Flower – Ruby Rose_

_Snow Angel – Weiss Schnee_

_Mistress Shade – Blake Belladonna_

_Golden Inferno – Yang Xiao Long_

_Lotus – Lie Ren_

_Kara – Nora Valkyrie_

_Gladiator – Pyrrha Nikos_

_The Wizard - Ozpin _

_The Witch – Glynda Goodwitch_

_Knight – Jaune Arc_

_Kara is a name of one of the Norse Valkyries and her name means "the wild, stormy one" or "the curly one". Guess which one he means by calling her that._


	2. Chapter 1

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_When I wrote this, I didn't think…wow I'm…actually shocked. If you're following me, you probably noticed that I've started SEVERAL Fics over the last month or so. _

_It's because I promised myself and my girlfriend that I would pick up writing again. You see, I had always loved writing, even began going to college for it. I wanted to be an English Major, even though my writing was terrible._

_But I digress. Thank you for your kind words and I'm glad you enjoy the prologue._

_Recently I started citing those who reviewed, but this time…I'll keep it like my main man Jaune and thank the people who reviewed, favorite, and alerted (is that a thing? Alerted) this story._

_The story I am paying homage to is "Stranger Than Fiction" by Dsirin Wsdm. The premise is that Naruto writes a manuscript to a book about his life, and he sends it to Tsunade during the time-skip. I won't explain anymore, only that you all should read that. I've read it at least twenty times and I can't help but enjoy it and find something new every time I read it._

_Also I wanted to point out that it's being quietly narrated by Ruby right now. There's only one book and they're all sitting on one bed reading it._

_If you're wondering the frequency of how often do I write, I usually spend a few hours writing a chapter of something, just to keep my creative juices flowing. Usually though I tend to game and think about what I could do next._

_To be honest, my other story PNKR was originally going to be a Sonic the Hedgehog homage until I got into a debate with my friend on how messed up the MGS universe was…again._

_Now I feel like I'm rambling!_

_Enjoy the fic!_

**Chapter 1 – Baptism By Fire**

A cold, unpleasant feeling settled within Team Ruby's stomach as they processed that last line. They couldn't imagine sweet, goofy, Jaune causally mentioning killing or killing someone at that matter.

"There," Weiss began, breaking the silence. Her team could hear her voice wavering. "Must be a logical reason why he came to that conclusion. There must be. I can't imagine him killing anyone, and I refuse to. Jaune is a lot of things, but a murderer isn't one of them."

"There is a saying…" Blake commented quietly. "That history is written by the victors. We all know about Elias Arc, the war hero. Heck, he has a statue right out front of Beacon. After what we read…maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Ruby asked urging her to continue.

"Maybe he had a dark side too…and people only wrote about his victories." Blake finished.

All the girls went back to the book, hoping wishing that the feelings Jaune was conveying would improve.

**::::**

**It was time for our initiation. I stood next to Jewel as we took our place onto the launching pads. I already had a sinking feeling what was about to happen. As Wizard finished his speech about not dying, and how we would be partners, I couldn't help but notice that Jewel slowly retreated into herself.**

**It hurt seeing her like that, but what could I say to make her feel better? I was already dealing with my own problem.**

"**Uh, sir, I have a question… So this, landing strategy thing, what is it? Are you like dropping us off or something?" I had asked Wizard. You see, I did not have a weapon like Jewel's beloved, or the gracefulness of Snow's Semblance, or even the skill of Gladiator. I was an average warrior; a below average mortal among veritable gods and goddesses. My weapon was an heirloom and a steadfast reminder of my curse.**

"**No, you will be falling." Wizard had replied to me, his usual insufferable smirk growing on his face. Let it be known that Wizard was my father's teammate and he and I knew each other somewhat well. **

"**Oh, I see…so, like did you hand out parachutes for us?" I asked already knowing the answer.**

"**No. You will be using your own landing strategy."**

"**Uh-huh," I waited a bit as Jewel was launched before me. "You're a sadist, Wizard."**

"**I try." And with that I was a launched into the woods, where my enemies rested, and where I would find my partner Gladiator.**

**::::**

"Jaune and Ozpin knew each other?" Yang questioned.

"That's what he wrote," Ruby answered, just as shocked.

"Who knew our headmaster had a bad sense of humor…" Blake muttered.

**::::**

**As I was soaring through the air, screaming my lungs out, I couldn't help but to contemplate my life as it stood. And during my two minute flight before Gladiator expertly speared me to a tree to save my cursed life, I realize two things:**

**One, I should invest in tire irons, because Wizard is just as bad as my father.**

**And Two, I'm glad I was wearing my hoodie that day.**

**Digressing from plots of revenge and choices of fashion, I found myself hanging from a tree, courtesy of Gladiator's amazing ability. I hung there for a while, hoping someone would get me down. **

**Snow came by and our eyes met, but I could tell she had no desire to being my partner, or to help me. She retreated to where she came, dragging Jewel away. I couldn't help but to chuckle morbidly.**

**Snow chose the lesser of two evils. And I was proud of her for it. Not that Jewel was evil…but I had the capacity for it, and I was glad she left me to my fate.**

**Suddenly I heard the voice of Gladiator from below.**

**"Knight?**** Do you… have any spots left on your team?"**

**I huffed in humor only. "Very funny." We looked at each other a smiled. Her smile saved me from those darker thoughts I had earlier. **

**Though they will return; they always did, especially when I slept.**

**The sounds of battles ever marching near, my heart pounding in excitement…**

**I image the sounds of my enemies dying, and morbidly enough, this is what allows me to sleep at night most of the time.**

**When I'm not having wet dreams about my princesses, that is.**

**::::**

All the girls blushed at that admittance. Jaune dreamt of them. Jaune dreamt of them in _that way_! They knew from earlier that he wrote that he loved them, but they never knew to what capacity. Now they knew.

Jaune Arc loved them all, and while he felt that he was unworthy of them, he couldn't help but to dream of them intimately.

**::::**

**Gladiator and I strode through the forest, being cautious about our surrounding. On a subconscious level, I felt that we knew that anything could happen at any time; Grimm tend to enjoy those with negative thoughts and emotions, and I was borderline bait.**

**A stray branch pushed by Gladiator stuck my face, cutting it. She apologized but I waved it off. Twas but a meager scratch.**

**She asked me about my aura, and my soul chilled. I never unlocked my Aura because I knew what that meant – I was choosing a side.**

**You see…my family's curse extended to our Auras as well. If a family member's Aura was white, he was destined to become a hero, someone who would carry on our legacy. If our Aura was black…**

**If my Aura had turned black, I would've impaled myself onto the nearest blade immediately. I refuse to be like two of my many ancestors, who's black Aura lead the path of destruction.**

**A Warrior with a Black Aura was no better than the monsters we hunt. And I refused to become a monster.**

**::::**

"Yang, what are you doing?" Ruby asked as Yang grabbed the book and moved to the next chapter.

"I'm sorry but I can't stand it!" She said, her eyes had turned red from her usual lilac. "It…It hurts to hear Jaune talk about killing himself so…so…"

"Willingly?" Blake offered, though she too was upset at the thought.

"Yes!" Yang exclaimed.

"Maybe we should stop for the evening," Weiss said looking out their window. The sun was setting. "Maybe we should get some dinner?"

Ruby's stomach growled. "Y-yeah, good idea." She replied blushing.

They placed the book on the table, and headed down to the Cafeteria. They grabbed their desired dinner and sat at their usual table. Dinner was quiet as a melancholy feeling set in on Team Ruby. They couldn't help but to think about all they read, and the person who wrote it.

Jaune Arc. Even as they think his name, they couldn't help but to think about their own feelings for the blonde knight.

To Ruby, Jaune was her first friend here at Beacon. He had always treated her kindly, and always listened to her when she spoke. As mutual leaders of their respective teams, they were unofficial partners in a sense, always willing to help each other out with their problems; his confidence problems when it came to leading his team and her issues with wondering if her decisions she made was right. The words he wrote about her, no matter how small, made her feel special. He loved her and desired her…well her and her teammates and his partner. A blush crept on her face. She wasn't as naïve as her sister thought. She knew what sex was, even though she never had it herself. She decided that she would read more to see what else he had to say about her.

To Weiss, Jaune was an idiot savant with little to no skills. But after reading those pages, she was questioning what the real Jaune was; the one in the book or the one that hits on her constantly. She was rather annoyed that he did so, only to get a rise out of her, but she liked the thought that he liked her and not Weiss Schnee the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. That he desired her, and not the name she carried. And added that he dreamt of her didn't escape her thoughts at all. She didn't know how to feel about that. She knew she was beautiful, but she couldn't help but to wonder what Jaune saw in her that would cause such intense emotions and feelings such as love.

Blake was trying to remember the last time she and Jaune were ever alone together, let alone interacted. She wasn't used to being admired nor loved, if Jaune's words were true. She was a Faunus, and most humans looked down on her kind. But not Jaune apparently. He found her graceful, alluring, and beautiful. A small blush etched its way across her face. She had never been complimented like that before and she can't say she disliked it. She was still concerned though. Jaune accepted his own fate, the fate of all warriors who stepped upon the battle field. She didn't want her friend to die, not because he felt obligated to do so. The thought alone was killing her.

Yang was feeling a mixture of emotions. At first Jaune's words meant little to her; She was always getting compliments on her looks and the like. But as they read on, she realized how sincere his words were and that he genuinely cared about her…her and her teammates and his partner. Jaune acted like a budding womanizer, sure, but it wasn't in his nature to hurt anyone. But now she was worried; worried for him, and worried about her sister. He desired all of them, including Ruby, but he also knew he could not have them. He was torturing himself, plain and simple. He wanted them to be happy at his own expense, and the only reward he wanted was the thought that he accomplished his goal. It was then and there, Yang realized, that she was falling for the boy who carried a burden of death and destruction; a boy who wanted nothing more than to make his princesses happy.

Their thoughts were interrupted when Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren sat down across from them.

"Are you four alright?" Ren questioned. Team Ruby snapped out of their deep thoughts.

"H-Hey Ren," Yang greeted, reacting faster than her teammates. "Sorry, we were…"

"Thinking," Pyrrha offered as she noted the mood between the four girls. "What were you thinking about?" She was worried. Usually Team Ruby was much livelier than this.

Thinking quickly, Weiss made an excuse, "We've started reading a romance novel together. A very dark and passionate one, not smutty, mind you. Just…"

"Filled with such varying emotions," Blake added, catching on. "It just has us questioning ourselves."

"Oh I love those kind of books!" Nora gushed. "Ren and I used to read those together all the time!"

Hoping to throw them off, Yang waggled her eyebrows at Nora, "In bed together?"

"Y-Yang," Nora exclaimed with a blush. "Ren and I are together, not together-together!"

"Why not," Ruby asked innocently. "It's not like Ren isn't handsome and nice."

Nora and Ren began stuttering out excused while Pyrrha giggled amused at her teammates. Team Ruby quickly shared a glance with each other. That was close.

**::::**

**Have you ever awoke upon the spring morning and spied a rose slowly blooming within the sunlight? That's the image I associate Jewel to; a rose blooming on the morn. She held a natural beauty, being a warrior far better than I. She cared little about make-up, not that she need to. She enchanted me with her beautiful smile and her alluring silver eyes held an innocent that I could not deny. I remember the first I got to see her smile up close. I was being blackmailed by Brute to do his dirty work. I felt so ashamed of myself. A warrior of my own lineage, reduced to a common peon because of my lie. I was too afraid to face my teammates, but then…**

"_Hey Jaune! Long time no see. Did you lock yourself out again?" Ruby asked with an amused smile._

"_Oh!" Jaune was shocked to see her. "Uh…nope. Heh. Got it." He replied showing her his scroll._

"_So where have you been lately?" She asked curious. Nobody has really seen Jaune outside of classes._

"_I uh…" Jaune sighed and sat against the door of his dorm room. "I messed up…" He confessed. "I did something I shouldn't have and now Cardin's got me on a leash and Pyrrha won't even talk to me…" He lamented. "I'm starting to think coming to school was a bad idea…I'm a failure…"_

"_Nope." Ruby rebuked simply as she moved to sit next to him_

"_Nope?" Jaune questioned._

"_Nope, you're a leader now Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure." She explained._

"_But what if I'm a failure at being a leader?"_

"_Hmm…" She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nope!"_

"_Heh," Jaune chuckled slightly amused. "You know, you're not the easiest person to talk to about this kind of stuff."_

"_Nope!" She said amused as well. "Jaune, maybe you were a failure when you were a kid." Jaune sighed as she continued. "You might have been a failure the first day we met but you can't be one now. And do you know why?"_

"_Uh…because?"_

"_Because it's not about you anymore; you've got a team now Jaune. We both do. If we fail, then we will just be bringing them down with us. We have to put our teammates first and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you."_

**It was then she gave me a smile and at that moment, I fell in love with Jewel. All my self-loathing disappeared as she looked at me, encouraging me to do what was right. I will never forget that smile or her words that day. They will be forever etched into my heart; the kind words from the Princess of Roses, whose smile reminded me of a rose in bloom on a spring morning.**

**::::**

Ruby's blush was atomic while the other girls smile at her. It was a little after dinner and they decided to read before they had to sleep. It was the weekend after all, and they had finished their papers quickly due to Weiss's strict policy on work.

"Wow, sis," Yang began teasingly. "I called him Lady Killer as a joke, but judging by your face, I could tell our favorite knight has slain the fair maiden."

"Yang!" Ruby complained totally embarrassed.

"I'm actually curious now," Weiss said tapping a finger to her chin. "I wonder what he said about the rest of us." Yang stopped teasing Ruby as she began to think about that as well.

"His words…were very passionate," Blake added with a smile. "He really does love Ruby…"

"I was thinking about that at lunch," Yang said with a frown. "He said he loved all of us. I can't think of him as a full-fledged womanizer but…"

"You're concerned about us, yourself, and Pyrrha," Blake finished with a nod. "I understand. I was more worried that our friend sounds like he's borderline suicidal."

"We need to think of a way to break him out of that," Ruby said with a frown. "I don't like the thought of Jaune killing himself because of some destiny or whatever."

The girls sat silent at that. The thought of Jaune dying because he was destined to be a hero like his forefathers didn't sit well with them. And it would haunt their dreams as they slept. The boy that was slowly capturing their hearts, one by one, dying on the battle field, with a smile on their face, just as he believed he should.

They didn't get much sleep that night.

**End of Chapter 1**

_Brute – Cardin Winchester obviously_

_Edit: Saw a few errors. I don't have a beta reader yet, and I get really hyper when I'm into the plot of something._

_Not much else to say but Read, Review, and Enjoy!_


	3. Chapter 2

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_I was going to wait a day to post another chapter, but I couldn't help myself, I wanted to add to this story that has captivated you awesome people._

_A little more plot this chapter, and this will be the first time we actually get to see Jaune and what he was doing._

**Chapter 2: Blood**

Sweat dripped from his brow as he stared down his opponent. His eyes filled with an uncharacteristic glee as he readied his sword. His friends did not know about this side of him, the one filled with sadist pleasure at the chance of battle. He licked his lips as another wave of enemies sieged him; Beowolves of all sizes. He giggled maniacally as he chopped through so many Grimm.

Off to the side, in an observation deck, Ozpin sipped his coffee, watching his student take to his enemies enthusiastically. Glynda, as always, at his side, her hands gripping her Scroll, almost threatening to break it.

"It's scary how much he suppresses to have a normal life," Ozpin commented.

"He's insane…" Glynda muttered as she watched him gleefully decapitated a smaller Beowolf, grabbing its head and throwing it at a lunging, stunning it.

"No less sane than my own teammate. I am glad he came to me so he can finally cut loose. This side of him…he doesn't want this at all, but it's unfortunately genetic."

"Is there a cure?"

"There is…" Ozpin commented. "Did you know that Jaune's siblings are all step-sisters?"

"No…I did not." Glynda said surprised.

"The Arc Family is one of the few families legally obligated to practice Polygyny."

Glynda looked disgusted. "Really."

"Yes really. It's needed, as the Arc Family has a curse called the "Curse of Destruction". It's been around since Elias Arc has been around. Elias loved to fight wars, so much that he tried to start wars on purpose. This in turn caused his son to want to cause wars so he may want to fight. It wasn't until four generations in that they realize that the Arc Family was dangerous, but needed. So they sought ways to prevent them from starting needless wars." Ozpin took a sip of his coffee once more. "The best solution came from Jaune's great-great grandfather, Lucius Arc. He somehow missed an entire war."

"HOW?!" Glynda exclaimed. How does one miss an entire war?

"When they went to recruit him, they found that he had several wives, and he never once picked up the sword to kill," Ozpin explained. "They found out that he was horribly devoted to his wives and only fought to protect them. It was unanimously decreed at the end of the second Great War that the Arc Family must take on several wives to stem the battle-lust they have. What's worse in the long run, Glynda; a love of death and carnage or a love of women?"

Glynda watched has her student as he sat upon a throne made from the corpses of his enemies, sighing in content of his victory.

"A lesser of two evils I suppose…"

**::::**

**The first snow of winter; beautiful, majestic. The cold air of the winter morn brushes across my skin and I embrace the beauty that is before me. My skin tingle as it tries to adjust to the cool temperatures. The wind brushes across my skin, sending shivers across my body.**

**This is how I feel when I stare at Snow Angel. **

**There aren't enough words to describe her beauty; silky white hair that frames her beautiful face, her periwinkle eyes bore coldly into my own cerulean. She had a scar that on her face, a tribute from a past battle perhaps? Just the thought sends mixed feelings throughout my heart. The scar itself only enhances the beauty before me. Strong as ice, cold as a winter's breeze, and beautiful as a cold winter's sunset…**

**And she's waiting for me to ask my question, while I wax poetry within my mind.**

"_Well? I don't have all day," Weiss said tapping her feet._

"_I was just wondering if adding Dust to my weapon could make it stronger," Jaune said nervously. "Since you are our resident Dust expert…"_

_Weiss smirked at his words, not the full smile he wanted, but still. "Well I'm glad you ask instead of just doing it yourself and blowing yourself up like an idiot. Give me your sword and I'll see."_

_Jaune nodded and drew Crocea Mors and handed to her, hilt first. She accepted the sword and placed it on the table before them, examining the blade._

"_I have to admit…this is a beautiful sword," she murmured as she inspected it._

_Jaune sat there quietly, watching her work. He couldn't but help to be mesmerized at how calm she looked. Normally she looked stressed out or angry, usually because something he did or her teammates. This was a different type of Weiss he had never encountered before._

"_Beautiful…" Jaune whispered, entranced by her._

"_Did you say something?" Weiss asked looking up._

"_Oh uh…I didn't say anything, Weiss," Jaune said waving her look off. _

_She raised a delicate eyebrow but went back to work. "The blade, unfortunately, can't be modified, but you can use special Dust Coatings to get the same effect just the same. I can teach you how to make them, if you want."_

"_I'd be honored to learn from you," Jaune said honestly with a smile._

_Weiss blushed slightly at his honest words. "W-Well we'll start when you buy the necessary equipment to make the mixtures."_

**That was the first time I ever saw Snow Angel flustered at my words. It's the best memory I have of her; her working within her element, calm and relaxed. I wish I could take away all her burdens, just to see that look again…**

**Maybe…she'll bless me with that beautiful smile I so desperately want to see before my inevitable end.**

**::::**

It was Weiss's turn to blush as she remembered that day. It was one of few days she could stand to be near the boy. He was quiet, polite, and very courteous about his dealings with her. When she taught him how to make Dust Coatings, he paid close attention to her and did not once make a mistake, as if he wanted to please her.

"Oh? Did our knight melt the Ice Princess with his words?" Yang asked with a teasing smirk. Ruby was smiling as well, glad that Yang wasn't teasing her this time.

It was a little after breakfast when they decided to open up the book again. They were slightly tired, but breakfast gave them the energy they needed to carry on. It was at breakfast that they realized that Jaune was nowhere to be found. They had asked Pyrrha and all she could tell them was that he was with Professor Ozpin for some reason and would not be back until Monday.

"I wonder what he is doing right now." Ruby asked curiously.

Blake grimaced. "I don't think I want to know…"

The others look at her, "Why not?" Yang asked curiously.

"Well…from what we read, he has a curse that makes him crave battle correct? Maybe…he needs to sate that need to stay sane."

The others grimaced at that thought. They had forgotten about that curse, eager to hear what lovely things he would say about them.

"We need to find out how he deals with it," Weiss announced. "And possibly a cure as well."

"We could head down to the library and research about him," Ruby suggested.

"Good idea, sis," Yang cheered. Weiss and Blake nodded.

"Alright Team Ruby, Operation Saving Private Arc, now commences!" Ruby exclaimed.

::::

"Say Pyrrha," Ren asked as he lounged on his bed. "Have you noticed something…odd about Team Ruby lately?"

Pyrrha thought about it for a moment, "Well…now that you mention it, they were out of it yesterday, as if something was weighing heavily on their mind. And this morning, they looked like they had terrible dreams."

"Maybe it's because of the book they're reading?" Nora asked as she stopped bouncing on the bed. "Maybe one of us should talk to them?" She suggested.

"I'll go see them now," Pyrrha said standing up from the desk. She was working on an assignment but it could wait. Something was bothering her friends and she needed to know.

She opened the door to her dorm room to see Team Ruby already leaving out theirs.

"Oh hey Pyrrha," Yang greeted with a smile. Pyrrha noted that the other team looked better than they did earlier.

"Hey," Pyrrha greeted as she closed the door behind her. "Where are you guys headed?"

"To the library to do some research," Blake answered.

"Mind if I tag along?" Pyrrha asked innocently. "I need to look up some information about an assignment anyways."

"Sure!" Ruby exclaimed. Pyrrha smiled at the younger girl's exuberance.

They made it down to the library, four out the five girls glad it was slightly empty. They sat at one of the Data stations.

"So what are you researching?" Pyrrha asked as Ruby began typing.

"We're looking into Jaune's family," Weiss said at her own station.

That startled Pyrrha, "Jaune's family? Why?"

The four teammates looked around, and then at each other. A silent agreement occurred. This concerned Pyrrha as well, as she was one of the five he mentioned in his book. Ruby pulled out a Leather-bound book from her cloak.

"This is why," Ruby said sadly. "This book belongs to Jaune. He wrote everything that's in it. I had found it in one of the classrooms.

"Like…like a diary?" Pyrrha asked slowly getting upset. _'Did they really violate his privacy like that?' _She wondered.

"No," Weiss said getting her attention. "He…he wrote it as if he…" She was getting frustrated at the thought. She took the book from Ruby and handed it to Pyrrha. "Read it. You'll understand it soon enough. It has to deal with you as well as us."

Pyrrha looked at the book. She didn't want to read it, as she felt it would violate the trust she had with her partner, but if it was affecting Ruby and Yang, two of the most cheerful people she know aside from Jaune and Nora…

She opened the book and began reading. It didn't take long for Pyrrha to start tearing up. Every word he wrote was filled with love, sadness and regret. She was filled with emotions as she continued to read. She felt happy that he cared for her more than just a friend; she was saddened that he felt like he wasn't worthy of anyone's love; and she was upset at his acceptance of his own death.

She blushed at his observations of her, and of Team Ruby as well. She was shocked to find out about his curse, that he craved battle and death. And most of all, she was heartbroken; he didn't confide any of this information to her at all.

"I got something." She looked up as the girls gathered around Blake's station. She got up and looked too.

"The first time an Arc did not participate in a war." Blake began reading, trying to summarize the information. It was near the beginning of the Second Great War; Lucius Arc was the current heir of the Arc Family legacy at the time, and…" Blake began to blush as she read more information.

"And? And what?" Yang was curious to know about this guy.

"The reason why he didn't fight in the Second Great War was because he was married to several women." The other girls blushed at that information. "It was discovered that the Arc Family had a curse that drove them into a battle-frenzy, and the only time it didn't affect an heir was because he had somehow acquired several wives that he loved unconditionally. He knew how to fight, but battle didn't excite him like being with is beloveds. It was then they realize that the Curse of Destruction could be counteracted with love."

"Well…" Weiss said quietly. "He already loves us; we know this…but…"

"But according to his book, he's still suffering from the curse," Pyrrha continued. "So…it has to be mutual, not one-sided."

"The question is," Blake said quietly. "Do we love him back?"

The girls did not have an answer.

**::::**

**Bella gattino, dimmi la tua storia…I wonder what Mistress Shade would say if I said that to her? Would she claw my face for being an idiot? Or would she bless me with those small smiles she seem to get when she reads her favorite book?**

**In my time of knowing her, we had small encounters throughout my time at the castle that I could ever remember. I remember one instance of such encounters. I was woefully late on an assignment; Gentleman, as regal as his mustache was, he could be a straight slave driver, even more so than Witch and Coffee. One night I decided to spend time within the library to finish my research. While looking for an appropriate book, I spied Mistress Shade, curled up in a bean bag in a quiet area of the library, asleep. She looked adorable, her hands clinging on to the book she had be engrossed into. What surprised me was that her signature bow had fallen off, revealing her true heritage.**

**Mistress Shade was a Cat Faunus, and I wouldn't have her any other way.**

**::::**

The girls had moved back to the dorm room to read more of the book. Pyrrha was all caught up, but was feeling depressed, so they decided to read more. Blake was blushing up a storm. The two teams had found out that Blake was a Faunus; that much was true, but they didn't know how Jaune really felt about it until now.

"What did those words mean?" Ruby asked confused. She had butchered what he wrote, but apparently Blake understood it.

"H-he said…"beautiful kitten, tell me a story"," Blake translated embarrassed.

"I didn't know Jaune knew Italian," Weiss said impressed.

"He knew enough to be able to flirt apparently," Yang said leering at Blake.

"J-just keep reading!" Blake growled.

**::::**

**I couldn't help myself; when I had heard she was a Faunus, I didn't mind. In fact some of my old friends back home were Faunus, some of my best of friends. But as she sat there, sleeping peacefully, looking vulnerable…I couldn't control the urge.**

**I began petting her ears softly. A soft smile came across my face as she began to purr in her sleep.**

"_Blake…I wish I was as strong willed as you; to be able to change my destiny…" Jaune whispered, trying not to wake her. "I could never match up to your courage, and I will always be in awe of your beauty."_

_Blake moaned in her sleep; evidently it was a good dream. Jaune chuckled, not embarrassed for once._

"_I wish…I wish I could tell you how I feel while you're awake, but for now…rest my beautiful kitten. I will always protect your dreams…"_

_Jaune placed a kiss on her forehead before replacing her bow delicately._

"_I will always be your shining knight to protect you…"_

**Even to this day, I wonder if she heard my declaration of love and loyalty to her. One day, I will have the courage to say it to her when she is awake. But until then, I will always be her sentinel of the night, protecting her dreams until she wakes. **

**Her light, within the shadows of life.**

**::::**

"Blake?" Yang asked as the girl looked stoic. Tears were running down her face.

"T-that idiot…" She whispered. Blake knew her answer to the question when she heard his declaration.

She had fallen for Jaune, her knight of the night. Yang just held her partner as she quietly cried; the others understanding how she felt. Yang glanced at the book in nervous trepidation. Would his words about her be just as sweet? She was already falling hard for the boy, and judging by the other women in the room, she wasn't the only one.

::::

Ozpin watched as his charge sat up from his makeshift bed, well rested. "Welcome back to the living, Jaune."

Jaune said nothing as he looked at his hand, and channeled his Aura. It was still white. Good. "Glad to be back, Professor Ozpin."

"How are you feeling?"

Jaune yawned as he grinned at the older male, "Never better, Professor. I really needed that."

"You should be more careful Jaune," Glynda said coming into the room. "We were glad that we knew the signs. You could've hurt somebody."

"I…I know Professor Goodwitch," Jaune said apologetic. "I thought I was doing a good job suppressing it."

"It must be hard," Glynda commented quietly. "Knowing that you're moments away from killing everyone around you."

"It's not as bad as you think," Jaune said lying back onto his bed. "I have…a reason to suppress it, and a reason to get strong." He said looking out the window. "After all…I'm blessed to have such great friends…"

**End of Chapter 2**


	4. Chapter 3

**Mightier than the Sword**

_So yeah, I'm actually happy with how well this is going, really I am! I enjoy writing this as it allows me to stretch writing muscles I used to work a lot. _

_I was a prose writer, back in the day, writing small emotional stories about love, death, and consequences and I feel like I'm back in my element._

_To Dragoon109 – yeah they seem less canon because I'm not just using their base personalities to write their reactions. When I see Weiss, I see a woman who has to live her life to a standard set by her father and family line. She can't afford to show weakness…normally. I figured, that away from the public eye, alone with her friends and team mate, she could relax, and show different emotion; happiness, sadness, the works. She doesn't have to be Weiss Schnee the Heiress all the time. With her team, she's Weiss Schnee, just Weiss Schnee._

_And with Yang, she would be even more emotional. Yang struck me as a woman who freely expressed how she felt and damn the consequences. She's heavily devoted to her friends and her family, especially Ruby._

_A lot of fanfic writers ignore simple facts about women that I refuse to ignore._

_Women are more in tune with their emotions. A strong woman can cry, she can feel sadness, she can understand loneliness, and they will persevere through adversity. Weiss can have a soft side, so can Pyrrha and Blake; Yang wears her emotions on her sleeves and god help you if you piss her off and I'd like to think that Ruby deals with things like emotions like everyone else. And that's on the emotional level, lord knows I know a lot about women on a biological level – I had to learn quick being raised by one of the toughest ladies on the planet, imo._

_If you guys feel like I'm portraying them wrong, I apologize, I'm trying to keep them in character to a point. I like the thought that they have other emotions other than what we saw in the show. _

_Also to TheMAO17 – I finally listened to Centuries by Fall Out Boy. That's Jaune. 110% Jaune._

_I really enjoying writing this guys and I hope you guys enjoy reading this. Thanks for your continued support._

_Also...I want to say it was hard to write Yang's part. I want to apologize in advance if it's not up to the standard I somehow set x.x_

_This chapter is short, but only because there's not much left for the book arc. After the next chapter, I'll be starting a new plot line, far more chilling than the book. _

**Chapter 3: Common Ground**

**Iridescent flame, flickering in the dark; its warmth guides me back home, home into the light. Its beauty captivates me, mesmerizing my very core, tempering my resolve, and burning away any doubt I have in my mission.**

**This flame, this…****passion rayonnante that drives me like my other princesses… her name is Golden Inferno. **

**We share a lot of common ground, her and I. We have blond hair, though hers is much more beautiful. We enjoy good jokes, and we're fiercely devoted to our respective families.**

**I remember talking to her one day; she had caught me coming back from training with Gladiator, and she looked like she wanted to ask me a question.**

"_Hey vomit-boy," Yang greeted with a smirk._

"_Ugh, I'm never going to lose that nickname, am I?" Jaune asked exasperated. _

"_Nope!" Yang replied cheerfully._

"_Well…whatever…what's up Yang?" Jaune asked._

"_I was wondering…why do you wear that onesie?" Yang asked curiously. "That doesn't really seem like something a guy like you would wear."_

"_Honestly, the only reason I wear it now is because it reminds me of my little sister."_

_Yang looked surprised. "You have a sister?"_

"_Seven of them, actually," Jaune replied with a smile. "Cecile, Lucette, Eloise, Villetta, Emmy, and the twins Reina and Relyea." _

"_Wow…I didn't know that…"_

"_The youngest, Emmy, bought them for me for my birthday. She wanted me to be warm and comfortable at night and her onesie was warm and comfortable…"_

"_She thought you'd like one too," Yang finished with a soft smile._

"_Yeah…I wear them with pride," Jaune said with a smile. _

"_If I was in your position, I'd wear it too." Yang commented._

"_You'd look great in an onesie," Jaune joked with a grin. "Very form fitting ones." Yang blushed as she punched his arm._

"_Don't be getting any funny ideas Arc." Yang replied._

"_Hey, I might suggest it to Ruby one day," Jaune said chuckling as he walked towards his dorm room. "The things we do for our family though, right?"_

"_Yeah," Yang agreed with a smile. "See ya, Vomit-boy!"_

**I never really suggested that idea to Jewel mind you, but I was glad that I found common ground with Golden. And as our friendship grew, I began seeing other sides of her; sides to her that I admire and love.**

**I've heard what people say about her; she's a ditzy blond girl who couldn't fight her way into an intelligent conversation (I heard brute say that once).**

**I scoff at them. They don't know my Golden.**

**Golden is intelligent; her fighting style requires a knowledge of physics, which is far more than I know.**

**Golden is loyal; to her sister, her teams, and her friends.**

**Golden is passionate; as she keeps moving, never stopping.**

**She has dreams and aspirations far more noble than I.**

_**Sa beauté réside dans ma vie et la mort, like the iridescent flame in the darkness.**_

_**Golden Inferno, my Princess of Flame. Burn away the darkness within my heart.**_

_**::::**_

"He knows French too?" Weiss noted as she looked at Yang. She really didn't have much reaction to his words.

"What did he say?" Ruby asked curious.

"He first said "radiant passion" which makes sense, given her semblance," Blake noted. "Then he said "her beauty lies in my death and life"."

"Oh." Ruby said. Then tilted her head, "I don't get it."

"I do," Yang said softly. "They say that during man's first fight against the Grimm, we would've been wiped out if it weren't for fire. A fire, a flame that guided us through the darkness of the Grimm; he's comparing me to that flame, and how I can guide him from his own darkness." She sighed. "At first, I realized that it wasn't as romantic as the others, and I admit I felt jealous, but then I realized that Jaune knows me well."

"How so?" Pyrrha asked.

"People have misconceptions about me, like he said," Yang began. "That I'm some dumb blond who can only solve things with her fists. But Jaune was right; there's more to me than people understand – I have my own reasons why I want to be a huntress. He was basically saying that he isn't like the other guys who only see Party Girl Yang. He sees the real me, and he loves the real me."

"That's…actually really deep." Blake noted.

"He didn't try to be fully romantic about it and I appreciate it," Yang said with a smile. "You get tired real quick of pretty boys trying to flirt with you. They try too hard, and they never appreciate the girl they're going for. But not Jaune; Jaune loves me…"

"And you love him," Blake murmured.

"Yeah…" Nothing else could be said.

::::

**They say that warriors, true warriors can understand each other by trading blows. With that in mind, I would like to say that I'm very intimate with my beautiful partner Gladiator. **

**She's…god where to I start? She's amazing, and not because she's apparently famous. She took your truly from a Squire to the Knight I see myself as. She was the first to find out my lie, my shame, and she didn't care. And after all the blackmail crap Brute put me through, she accepted my apology just as fast.**

**She's beautiful, as if the gods crafted her from the finest materials. I…I don't deserve her as a partner.**

**Even now, as I write this, she's resting beside me in her bed, tired from training with me. **

**She's…destined for so much more than being my partner. I feel horrible; I feel like I'm holding her back.**

**She's a champion; I'm a chump.**

**She's decorated; I'm not.**

**She's far more the hero that I will ever be.**

**I know how she looks at me sometimes, I'm not stupid.**

**How can my sweet, beautiful Gladiator, love a monster like me? **

**::::**

"Ruby?" Yang asked. Ruby was tearing up. Pyrrha, still blushing, looked confused at Ruby, as did the others.

"Jaune…he was crying when he wrote this," Ruby said quietly as tears began to fall. "This is the latest page; the last page he wrote, and there are tear stains on the page."

The girl's eyes widen at that. Jaune broke down crying? That…that was a mental image they did not like to see.

**::::**

**How can she even care for me? Any of them! How can I continue to delude myself; I am no better than the beasts we hunt! I'm worthless, nothing but scum! I'm not worthy of their love. My destiny lies with death; the death of my enemies and my own death. They don't need me…not like I need them.**

**I will admit that they continue to save me from myself, but for how long? None of them love me like I love them. Eventually they'll go their own way, and I'll be left alone to my darkness.**

**Maybe…**

**Maybe it's time for me to accept my own darkness, to embrace my cursed bloodline. Even as I write these lines, I can feel it coursing through my veins. I need…**

**I need to kill something, to slaughter my enemies. **

**Forgive me, my princesses…the beast within is strong, and it sings a dirge that takes me from the light and sends me into darkness.**

**Forgive me…for I have failed.**

**::::**

Ruby closed the book, tears falling freely. She wasn't the only one.

They couldn't believe the final words he wrote in his book, how he saw himself, and how he was going to accept his curse of battle, because he believed that none of them loved him. It broke their hearts to hear such words from a close friend and someone that they loved.

::::

"Look who decided to show up," Ren commented as Jaune entered the room. He wasn't wearing his usual clothes, as he wore a hooded white cape. Underneath that, he wore a shirt with his usual armor on top of it. Ren noted that his armor looked scratched and bent, as if he was in a fight. He still wore his blue jeans, but they sported more rips in them. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh, just some live training," Jaune answered unstrapping his armor. "Dang, gunna need this fixed…"

"Live training?" Nora asked confused.

"I asked Professor Ozpin where I could go to fight some actual Grimm…you know to test my skills? He took me to this place where they actually capture Grimm for freelance huntsmen to train with. It's pretty cool." Jaune answered with a smile. "Though it got a little dicey, lost my favorite hoodie and you see my armor." He held it up. "Anyways, where's Pyrrha?"

"I think she's with Team Ruby," Ren said scratching his head. "She went to go talk with them. They've been acting weird over some book." Jaune tensed at that. "You know something?"

"I-I might!" Jaune said with a little urgency. "I should go see them," Jaune said leaving out the room.

"Ren, what is going on?" Nora asked horribly confused.

"Me thinks our dear leader may have goofed," Ren commented.

Outside the room, Jaune had his eyes closed, as he leaned against the door. _'Okay Arc, you were wondering where the book you wrote with your deepest, darkest thoughts went and now you know. And judging by Ren's words, they may have read a bit. No problem. Maybe they just glanced at it?' _Jaune mentally groaned. _'Ugh knowing my luck, they read the entire thing! Okay so what to do? Should I just ask for it back and act like nothing happened? Ugh you know them better than that; they won't let you walk away from this. Bon dieu, I'm screwed!' _

He sighed as he looked at the door that housed Team Ruby. _'Alright…no sense in waiting…Into the breach I go…'_

He stepped over to the door and knocked.

"Who is it?" He knew that voice. It was Weiss.

"Uh…hey, it's me Jaune. I just came back and-"Suddenly the door opened and a hand grabbed him and pulled him into the room, the door closing behind him. "Ack! A little warning next time!" He complained as he shook his head. All that fast movement almost triggered his motion sickness.

He shook his head, and looked around the room and what little resolve he had shattered immediately. They had been crying. The culprit; the book that was lying on the floor. Sighing he went over and picked it up. "_Seigneur suave-moi_…I guess…I have some explaining to do…"

**End of Chapter 3**


	5. Chapter 4

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_I've come to a startling conclusion that a majority of you don't like the idea of the harem aspect. When I began planning this story, I decided everything will have a purpose – a reason – for being used. Everything will be important, even the harem! I will leave nothing to chance with this story as I'm putting 2000% of my creative juices into it, planning every intricate part of the story_

_That being said, thank you all for the support you're giving this story._

_A few people questioned the "Curse of Destruction" and yes, the name does sound cliché, but don't worry, there's more to it than a clichéd name. Much more in fact. _

_I decided, as I laid in bed, and my phone went off several dozen times because my e-mail for is connected to my phone so I know exactly when you guys shower me with love, that I'll wrap up the Book Arc in one big ole chapter instead of two, and get to work on the next arc immediately._

_For now let's get into the final chapter of this Arc, and initiate phase two!_

**Chapter 4: Wings**

Jaune sat on the floor facing the five women he had come to know at his time here in Beacon. Five visions of loveliness that he wrote about in his book; the very same book that he had stupidly lost in his haste to leave the classroom and that they read. He looked down at the leather-bound book with contempt and nostalgia, two entirely contrasting emotions.

"You know…" He began quietly. "I should be mad. Terribly so; this is a family heirloom after all, and you all violated my privacy…but I can't. Not if you all read what I wrote." The all listened to him in silence. "I could never get mad at you all; it's impossible…"

"Jaune…" he looked up to them and gave them a reassuring smile.

"To love is to understand, and to form a bond based on that understanding. Without those bonds, we are doomed to death," Jaune quoted. "My ancestor, Christophe Arc, wrote that at the end of his book. All male Arcs have these things. It's supposed to teach us that sometimes the best way to win a war is with a pen, not a sword, and with words, not violence. But really…they're just glorified diaries…We carry these things into battle, and upon death, they are retrieved and placed into the archive for other Arcs to read, learn, and understand. We're not supposed to let others read them as they wouldn't understand how an Arc thinks…hell I don't know how we think…"

"Do you really love us, or what you wrote in that book is a lie?" Weiss asked.

Jaune actually scoffed at Weiss, "I see no reason to lie, not about this…and to answer your question…yes, I love you all equally; no-one more or less than the other."

"Then why did you say you were unworthy of us?" Ruby asked quietly.

"Because I am," Jaune replied. "Growing up…I lived with my father, seven sisters, and four mothers in a mansion. Four mothers, don't you think that's strange? A lot of people did, but my folks…they seemed happy with it. When I attended school, I could see the looks the adults would give me, and what they'd mutter hurtful things when they thought I couldn't hear. I tried to ignore it, but…"

"It changed how you looked at your family legacy," Blake concluded nodding. "You felt like it wasn't as noble as your history suggested and you wanted to change that perception any way you could. I understand how you feel completely." Blake thought back to how the White Fang acted and how she felt.

"I never actually planned for you all to know my feelings," Jaune admitted.

"We noticed," Yang said angrily. "You planned on keeping your feelings to yourself, and let yourself die on the battle field. Did you not consider that we may love you? Hell you admitted that you KNEW Pyrrha loved you!"

"What I knew was right, and what I felt was right were two different lanes on the road Yang." Jaune shot back. "Do you not know what it'll be like if she started dating me? An Arc? I hoped it was just a phase! I wished it was just a phase! She deserves better, you all do!"

"Why don't you let us decide what we want, Jaune!" Pyrrha yelled back. Jaune shrunk back as if he was struck in the face. He hung his head in shame. "You were making so many assumptions based on your fear of you curse that you never considered that we care about you."

"You're not a monster Jaune," Ruby continued. "You're someone we care and love about. So what if you like to fight, a lot of people do."

"It's a little more than "like", Ruby." Jaune said dryly. "Ozpin took me to the Huntsmen Pit this weekend to cut loose. When I entered, I began fighting…and I lose myself into the curse. When I finally came to my senses, I was sitting on a throne made from Beowolf corpses. Ms. Goodwitch said I was giggling insanely as I cleave through Grimm after Grimm. It's…a little more than like."

The girls boggled at that mental image. "It…it's that bad for you?" Blake asked nervously.

"It's not that bad," Jaune sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's just that I've been suppressing it for a while. It can be sated with spars and hunting, but I just wanted to be normal, you know? That and I kind of suck with my weapons, if you haven't noticed…though after this weekend, I'll probably be expected to give it my all."

"Where does that leave us?" Weiss asked.

"What…happens after this is up to you all," Jaune said getting up. "Pyrrha was right; I didn't consider your feelings on my plans. If you wish to have a relationship with me…well you know how I feel about you all. If you don't, I'll understand completely."

He began leaving, "Wait where are you going?" Yang questioned.

"Well…circumstances aside, I do have to do my work," Jaune commented embarrassed. "I promised Professor Ozpin I'd work on my assignments and just because I needed to "frolic among the corpses of my enemies" doesn't mean I'm excused from my assignments. And well…this decision should be something you decide on your own, not with me lounging about."

"I understand," Pyrrha said nodding.

"…Until we speak again, see you later, my fair princesses." The girls blushed as he opened the door and left.

Weiss groaned. "That idiot, he's going to make this decision hard if he keeps that up."

"That's what she said," Yang snickered.

"Boo."

"What? I thought it was good."

::::

Jaune yawned as he headed back to his dorm. He opted to skip dinner to finish the three papers that were due tomorrow. He snorted to himself at that thought. He guessed the preverbal cat was out of the bag, so he could stop holding back. In truth, Jaune wanted to be normal, just like everyone else, that much was certain. But when it came to knowledge of battle and war, no one came closer to an Arc.

From his youth, he was taught everything about Grimms, wars, and history, to prepare him for the eventuality that another Great Battle breaks out. He admits, acting like a goof ball in classes he was supposed to excel at was fun.

It was getting closer to lights out, and he found himself staring at the statue of the man who started it all; his curse, his legacy.

"Dear ancestor…what would you say about our line now?" Jaune asked aloud. "I wonder…would you still be proud?" Jaune shook his head. "What am I saying…I know exactly what you would say…An Arc never doubts the resolve in his actions."

"Clearly, you have doubts about that, Young Arc." Jaune snapped his head around, looking for the sound of the voice.

"Whose there? Show yourself!" Jaune demanded. The voice chuckled at his word; it sounded like sandpaper grating on steel.

"Do not worry about me, Young Arc. You should worry about yourself…" the voice told him. "Soon, the anniversary of the cursing will be upon you; seven hundred years and six generations of Arc History, born of light and darkness will accumulate…I do not tell you what will happen…" Jaune growled at those words. "You, who were born on the seventh, will understand soon enough."

"Who are you?!"

"Merely a prophet, Young Arc. You feel it in your blood. Soon there will be another war. I wonder…how far will you go to fight the curse at its strongest? Or will you succumb to her will?" The voice laughed and as it laughed it faded away.

Jaune let out a curse. He thought he had more time, but he knew his luck.

Another War…another Arc…and on the seven hundredth anniversary of the curse being placed on Elias Arc…

'_Once again, the wheels of fate are turning…' _Jaune thought to himself as began heading back to his room. _'Is this what you mean…Auguste Arc?'_

::::

The next day found both Team Ruby and Juniper in Ms. Goodwitch's class. The five "princesses" were trying to keep everything normal, but even they couldn't ignore the tenseness that hung around Jaune. Something was weighing heavily on his mind, and what was worse, there was a certain look in his eyes, a certain hunger.

He was looking forward to fighting once more, and they weren't the only one who noticed. Glynda Goodwitch spared him a glance and had to suppress a shiver at his glance. She knew his father, and how scary he could get when he wanted a good fight. Jaune looked more like his mother, however, and seeing his father's thirst on Jaune's face magnified how fierce he could be.

"Alright class," Glynda began, getting the students attention. "Today's sparring will allow me to see how far you all have progressed during your stay here at Beacon. When I call your name, please proceed down to the arena to begin sparring. Jaune Arc versus Sky Lark." Soon both teens were standing across from the other.

Sky chuckled. "Looks like we're up, Jauney boy, I hope you've gotten better." He taunted looking at the boy. His confidence wavered as Jaune was staring at him with…anticipation? That unnerved him. Everyone knew that Jaune Arc took to fighting like a fish took to land; flopping and generally being ineffective. The Jaune that stood before him scared him a bit. Gone was the wimpy boy Cardin had under his thumb at one point; standing before him was something a little more frightening.

"You could say that I have improved," Jaune replied as an excited grin slowly grew on his face. "I can't wait until this dance begins…" he let out a small chuckle.

In the stands, the two teams shivered at that. Was this the real Jaune? The one who craved battle? Ren and Nora were confused and slightly afraid. They have never seen Jaune act like that before and they didn't know the reason why he was. The others weren't fairing any better. They knew why Jaune was acting like that, but to see it in person caused them to shiver in fear at the sight of that look. However…deep down they knew that they'd never have to face that look in person.

_**They are my friends, my princesses, and dare I say it…the ones I love the most.**_

They slowly calmed down as they remembered the words he wrote. He would never harm them. Didn't mean they couldn't feel bad for Lark.

"You may begin." Glynda announced.

Lark wasted no time in charging Jaune with his Halberd, launching a flurry of attacks at the blond swordsman. Jaune blocked, parried, and deflected most of the blows with his sword and shield, but Lark was good; he knew how to use his weapon to the fullest effect against swordsmen. Jaune growled as he smashed the halberd away with his shield so hard, that Lark couldn't recover from it and soon Lark was feeling the full effect of Jaune's Ire.

He realized that Jaune was really good with his sword as Jaune slashed at him with speed and precision. He backpedaled away to inspect the damage on his Armor. Five deep gashes in his armor; all of them marked in places that would've crippled him at the very least. He looked up at Jaune with a glare.

He couldn't take this guy lightly. The Jaune before him was different, deadlier. If he didn't take him seriously, he'd be massacred.

"Ho…is it over already?" Jaune asked amused.

"I'll show you!" Lark roared as he charged Jaune once more. Jaune grin widen as he carefully deflected each wild strike Lark sent at him with practiced ease.

In the stands, Yang was clenching her fists. "He's playing with him now." She noted.

"What?" Nora questioned shocked.

"Jaune wanted to see how good Lark was," Pyrrha began agreeing with Yang. "He allowed Lark to press on the offensive, allowing him to score hits on him, just to test his offense. And once he was satisfied, he pushed Lark away."

"With the type of weapon Lark uses," Weiss continued. "Offense is his defense, and Jaune knows this. Lark uses his weapon for speed, meaning he doesn't have the strength to overwhelm Jaune. Jaune on the other hand, isn't even using his shield, meaning he can be just as fast, and still have the strength to do what he's doing now."

They watched as Jaune sidestepped a thrusting lunge. He hooked Lark's halberd with his sword and with practical ease disarmed Lark. Lark looked flabbergasted. No one has ever disarmed him before. His thoughts were interrupted when Jaune pointed his sword dead in his face.

"Yield."

Lark grit his teeth and nodded. "I surrender."

"Winner, Jaune Arc!" Glynda announced. Jaune merely frowned and sheaths his sword. He was amused at first, but Lark didn't provide much joy in fighting him. He needed to be challenged, he mused. He ignored the looks of his teammates and friends for now. Lark proved to be a temporary distraction, but he could feel it…the real problem was just around the corner.

::::

Meanwhile in Vale, the White Fang were on the move. Ever since their partnership with career thief Roman Torchwick and his leader Cinder Fall, they felt that they were getting closer to their goals.

"It won't be long now, kiddies," Roman said with a certain glee in his voice. "Once everything is ready to be moved out, we will begin our first operation."

"There might be a change of plans," Cinder told him as she strolled up to him. Roman looked at her and noted that she was serious. And she wasn't alone.

"Oh good, you brought the kids too," Roman sneered. He didn't exactly like Emerald and Mercury. They were impulsive and never really thought about the ramifications of their jobs in the long run. They were text book fresh meat, and Roman hated noobies. "Anyways, what do you mean?"

"One of our informants in Vale said they spotted Ozpin and Goodwitch down at the Huntsmen Pit with a student."

"Oh? And what's so special about the brat? I mean, he has to be if you mention him specifically, and not old Ozzy and his lady friend." Roman pointed out.

"His name is Jaune Arc."

Roman stared at Cinder for a moment, before turning around. He casually strolled up to his desk…and flipped it. He then turned around to address Cinder. "And you waited now to tell me? I didn't even know that man had a kid!" Roman ranted.

"Calm down Roman…" Cinder said to her partner.

"I can't calm down Cinder," Roman said frowning. "You weren't there that day; the day that man lost control! He's the reason why Ozpin needed a cane for Dust sake! I still have nightmares." Roman closed his eyes, trying not to shutter. "You damn right there's a change in plans. If Ozpin has an Arc attending his school, then that changes everything."

"What's so special about an Arc?" Mercury questioned. "I mean, he's just one guy, right?"

"Is this kid serious right now?" Roman asked annoyed. "Look Cinder, explain to them how bad the situation is, I'm going to make a few calls."

"What are you planning on doing Roman?" Cinder questioned.

"If Ozpin has an Arc, then we need one too," Roman explained. "And as it so happens, that man had a brother, a brother with a Black Aura. I don't have to tell you what that means…"

Cinder's eyes widen. Then she smiled. "Why Roman…this changes everything…"

::::

**The night shines brightly upon the land as I write this passage. My princesses found my codex, my legacy before it even began. **

**They're amazing, you know? Even if they decide not to love me as I love them, I will always cherish them for who they are.**

**But…this is not why I am writing this passage.**

**There was a change in the wind tonight. Something sinister is upon us. My cursed blood sings its dirge for a battle that is just beginning.**

**The Seventh Hundred Year Curse…**

**The Seventh Generation Arc…**

**And the Seventh Time Crocea Mors will see war.**

**Yes…I can feel it within my soul.**

**This will be the last battle, the battle that has lasted Seven Generations.**

**I'm sorry my Princesses…**

**With or without your love, I must fight or the world will be plunged into everlasting darkness.**

**Ancestors, I may curse our line, but for once, give me the strength…or this will be the final battle the Arc line ever participates in.**

::::

Deep inside a nearly forgotten mansion, a lonely servant hurried down the hall. He made his way into the throne room where several statues of Grimm lined the walls. He hurried until he made it to the Throne where a lone man sat. He had long blond shaggy hair, and his face was half covered by a black Grimm mask.

"S-Sire!" The servant said bowing. "We have been contacted by a Roman Torchwick! He is asking for our assistance."

The man leaned forward; an amused smirk grew on his face. "Oh? And what does a thief wants with our noble family?"

"He wishes us to join him in inciting a war, a glorious war." The servant said quickly.

"A war? And why does he need our help? Surely he has more than enough manpower if he's promising war."

"He said…that his enemies have an Arc on their side."

The man stared at his servant before he began to chuckle. That chuckle became a laugh, a deep belly laugh that promised death and destruction. "Well now this will be interesting indeed! How often does an Arc fight an Arc in a war! This battle he promises…will be beautiful! Tell Roman I accept his offer!"

"At once, sire!" The servant scurried away. The man on the throne continued to chuckle as the eyes of his mask glowed.

'_I know you can feel it coming, dear cousin! The battle to end all battles! After this war, there won't be another quite like it ever again! And I'll be victorious…after all…Alain Arc does not lose to those who follow the path of life.'_

**End of Chapter 4**

_Before I sign off, I'll admit that Jaune's battle-lust side is slightly based off another character. Try to guess who it is._


	6. Chapter 5

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_Welcome to the interlude I planned to bridge the gap between arcs of the story. A lot of people were skeptical about the name "Curse of Destruction" and this chapter will explain everything!_

_But before I get on, I thought for the first time on this fanfiction, I'll answer some questions._

_**Leivve asks: **__**Is there a reason he needed to be taken off school? Couldn't Ozpin just get a experience hunter to help him blow off steam? Or is it not battle but the killing part specifically he craves.**_

_Well it's a little bit of both. The curse forces Jaune to be a blood knight at best. For those who don't know, blood knights are warriors who live for the fight. They don't care for winning or losing, morals, etc. as long as they get a good fight. Jaune doesn't want to live like that, but he can't help himself._

_The reason Ozpin took him to the Huntsmen Pit instead of say…having Oobleck or Port fight him, is because it wouldn't help in the long run. Without spoiling, to stave off the curse, Jaune has to win. If he fought someone stronger than him, it would just push him more into the curse, driving him more insane. He HAS to win. _

_Also, there's no ending to Grimm, so why not let him go nuts killing them? Unlike the show, I won't wait until the end of the second season to have a big Grimm invasion._

_Side note, I'm in love with Coco. I just…wanted to share that. _

_**Hellkaizer comments: i'm gonna go with Nora... seeing as she smiles while she kills grims and breaks people's legs xD, awesome fic really, arc vs arc, thats interesting, hope you update soon :), i suppose ren and nora will find out about jaune eventually right?**_

_Actually no, his battle happy side is based off a villain from another show. The biggest hint I could give you is that he refers to fights as 'dances'._

_And they'll find out after this chapter, I can assure you. It's bad for business when the people you work with don't know you can go berserk at any given moment._

_**Gamerof1458 comments: **__**You know what your little light aura vs dark aura reminds me of? Hellsing! Alexander Anderson vs Alucard! Both are battle hungry blood thirsty warriors who would love nothing more than to cut loose and murder! The ambiguity in their morals and duty also shines the same light! Man oh man am I waiting for the next chapter!**_

_Actually that's exactly how I first pictured the Light/Dark Aura concept of the curse. Both Alexander and Alucard could be considered Blood Knights in their own right._

_**TheMAO17 comments: Arc vs Arc…SHIT IS ABOUT TO GO DOWN! Also, I'm going to guess that the character you're talking about is Kenpachi Zaraki from Bleach**__._

_Oh yes, the Arc vs Arc fights are going to be glorious! And Alain Arc is going to change the entire tone of the story. Trust me, you will LOVE this!_

_Alright, I guess I've answered enough. I want to drop some stats on you fine people._

_I published this story on November 2__nd__. That means I've been writing updates for at least less than 48 hours (of writing this mind you) and I've received 57 Reviews, 103 Favorites, and 129 Alerts alone for this story. When I cracked open the legacy story stats page, I could see the stark differences from my older works._

_In five chapters, I've officially outstripped my previous serious work Don't Disappear On Me in reviews. In five chapters, I've gotten more Favorites and Alerts than Naruto of the Masks, and people REALLY want me to continue that story (gotta beat Majora's Mask again)._

_I know I say this on nearly every chapter, but…_

_Thank you all for your continued support._

**Chapter 5 – Iridium Phantasms**

"Hold that line!" a voice shouted over the din of violence. Men and women, human, and faunus, warriors and mages, roared as they tried to repel the incursion of Grimm that was besieging the fortress. It was always like this; just as they obtained a foothold onto the land, the Grimm would try their hardest to stop them. This was no exception.

"Hold the line! They're almost here!" The fighters of the new land roared once more, their efforts doubled. Some of the smaller Grimm began to retreat as the larger ones began charging forward. Suddenly spears of light rained from the sky, spearing Grimm large and small, killing them instantly.

"They're here! The Arcs are here!" Standing upon a hill looking down upon the battle field were a man and a woman.

"Surely, Morganna, you could've spared a few for me to slay," the man said with a small pout.

"Don't pout Elias, it's unbecoming of a man your age," the woman, Morganna giggled. "Besides, dear brother, shouldn't you be resting?"

"T'was a flesh wound, sister," Elias grumbled. Morganna poked his ribs and he winced. "I get it, don't do that!"

The people cheered as the tides of battle were turned by the sibling Heroes, Elias and Morganna Arc.

::::

"Elias old friend, it's good to see you," a man with black hair and silver eyes greeting him. He greeted Elias with a handshake.

"General Garnett Rose, it has been too long," Elias greeted back. "Tell me, how fairs the expansion of the land?"

"This is it, Elias. This is where our forces will set up shop and push back the cursed beasts back to the outer plateau. Once we secure the land, we will allow civilians to populate the area." Garnett explained as he motioned to the siblings to follow him to his tent. On the inside, there were three individuals waiting for them. "Allow me to introduce the people responsible for this expansion." He motioned to the White haired man who was looking over some notes. "This is Ekkehardt Schnee-"

"The man who discovered the practical applications of what we call Dust," Morganna interrupted impressed. "I never thought I would meet him here of all places."

"Lady Morganna Arc, the pinnacle of Aura Magicks, it is a pleasure," Ekkehardt greeted. "I wanted to meet you as well as I wished to share some of my notes with you."

"Another time, Ekkehardt," Garnett interrupted. "Next we have Calogera Belladonna," To this, he motioned to the silent female Faunus in the room. "She's leading our recon division."

Morganna frowned at the sight of a Faunus but quickly schooled her emotions. Elias smiled though, "Calogera, it's been too long dear! How is your husband?"

Calogera smiled, "He is well, Lord Arc. He was quite upset when he was wounded in battle and could not fight by your side."

"Aye, Benigno was always a good sword arm to have around. Give him my regards."

"And finally we have our front line General, Abrax Nikos." Abrax Nikos was a red-haired stoic man.

"Abrax."

"Elias." It was also fair to mention that they did not like each other.

"No fighting in camp, men," Garnett warned. "Anyways, I take it you'll be staying for a while?"

"Of course," Morganna said with a smile. "My dear brother got himself wounded on the way here."

"It was just the one wound…" Elias muttered annoyed.

"I'll have my men appoint you two a room." Garnett told them. "And I'll call over our best Aura Medic, Aaran Goodwitch, to check your wounds."

::::

Elias grumbled as he lay onto his bed inside the fortress. Two weeks! That blasted Scorpion Grimm got him injured for two weeks! Oh the humiliation. He was Elias Arc, the best warrior across the continent and he gets laid low by a stray strike!

"Are you awake still, brother?" Elias sighed.

"I am, sister, you may enter." Elias raised an eyebrow when his sister entered his room wearing very provocative night clothes. "I did not know you had such garments, sister. Does mother know?"

"No, and you will never tell," Morganna replied annoyed. She sat onto his bed. "How long?"

"Two weeks."

"You should've listened to me when I told you leave it alone."

"It looked at me funny!"

"You don't go around fighting everything that looks at you funny dear brother!" Morganna was exasperated at that point.

"Why did you come here, anyways?" Elias asked annoyed.

"You know why I'm here, brother."

"And the answer is no, Morganna. We're siblings."

"It doesn't matter, Elias. We have a duty to our ancestors to make sure our line is strong!" Morganna growled.

"You're my sister! My little sister! Why couldn't you find some nice warrior? Why me?"

"Because you're the only man I love Elias," Morganna said.

"And you know my answer Morganna. You are my sister, nothing more."

Morganna growled and got up. "You'll never find a woman as powerful as I to lay with brother." Elias said nothing as she left his room and slammed the door.

"Saints preserve me," Elias muttered as he tried to get some sleep.

::::

Over the next week, Elias tried to avoid Morganna as much as he could. He couldn't understand why she wanted to be his wife. They were siblings! Family! But she was adamant about it. Elias sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror.

'_Thirty-eight and I still fight like I'm twenty. I guess I can count that as a blessing…' _Elias thought with a grin. There was a knock on his door. "Enter."

"Pardon my intrusion, Lord Arc." Elias turned to see who entered his room and his heart nearly stopped. The woman who entered his room was a Faunus, a rabbit Faunus to be exact, but that's not why his heart stopped. She was beautiful, far more than any woman he ever seen.

"Tell me, fair maiden, what is your name?" Elias asked kindly.

"I'm Marta Scarlatina, Lord Arc." Marta greeted with a bow. "I am here in Master Goodwitch's stead to check your wounds."

"Oh…uh, very well," Elias relented. He moved to sit on his bed as she moved to check his bandages.

"How are you feeling, Lord Ar-"

"Please call me Elias, fair maiden. I am simply a man in your care, not a warrior on the field," He said gently with a smile.

Marta blushed a bit. "O-Okay Elias. How are you feeling?"

"I am feeling much better now," Elias replied. "Though there is a pain in my chest."

"Oh?" Marta asked as she ran her hands across his chest. "I do not see or feel any wounds."

"It's my heart, fair Marta, as it has never encountered a beauty such as yourself," Elias said with a grin as her blush got worse.

"E-Elias! Are you coming on to me?"

"I do believe I was? Is there a problem?" Elias asked innocently.

"N-No, there's no problem, I just think a man of your stature would want-" Elias placed a finger onto her lips

"What I want," Elias said, "Is my own business, wouldn't you say?"

"Well…y-yes…"

"Am I not allowed to court you, fair Marta?" Marta couldn't answer that as she was rightly stunned. She knew that peace between Humans and Faunus was strained, but here was one of the greatest warriors the world have ever seen, and he was asking to court her.

"I…I would like that," she whispered, absolutely giddy.

::::

Morganna growled as she moved away from Elias's door. Here she was, the best Elias could ever hope for, and here he was, trying to woo a Faunus! There was no secret, Morganna hated Faunus, but she kept everything professional. But now one of those…those Animals were threatening to take her beloved away from her.

Something in Morganna snapped that day. If she could not have Elias, she would make sure he'll pay for spurning her advances.

::::

It had been four days since Elias began courting Marta. Most couldn't believe their eyes. The Great Hero Elias Arc was head-over-heels in love with Marta Scarlatina, the apprentice of Aaran Goodwitch. But they were very much in love with each other.

Morganna had locked herself insider her own room and barely spoke to anyone. People were worried, but Elias waved them off saying she needs her space. Nobody but he knew what was wrong with her.

Elias sighed as he thought about his sister. _'Maybe I should go talk to her?' _he thought. He nodded to himself. That was the most sensible thing to do. Getting up from his bed, being careful to wake his beautiful beau, he got dressed, and left his room. He made his way towards her room and knocked on the door. "Sister? Many apologize for waking you, but may I have a word."

"…Enter…" Elias entered the room. He took two steps before a sharp pain shot through his body, knocking him out cold.

When he came too, he felt pain. "By the gods," He gasped as the pain intensified. Looking around to ascertain where he was, he realized he was in the dungeon, chained to the wall. His body was covered in wounds.

"Awake already, dear brother?" His eyes snapped to the owner of that voice.

"Morganna…wha…"

"Be quiet fool," She snapped coldly. "This is your punishment for rebuking my advances for so long and shaking up with that animal!" She raised her hands and lightning came forth from them, shocking Elias, causing him to scream.

"Wha…what are you planning?" Elias demanded as he tried to stay awake.

"The only man that ever deserved me refused me, no man shall have me, and I'll make sure your line will suffer for your transgressions," Morganna intoned. "Using Ekkehardt's research, and my own research, I have created the first Aura Curse, the final Aura Curse, Coeur Sanglant…"

"Sister this is madness!"

"Madness?! I loved you brother and you shoved me away! Now you will pay for your crimes against me! You and your ilk will always have to choose…" As she spoke, her Aura spiked considerably, as she held up a scepter with several dust crystals in it. "Victory or Love…nothing more…nothing less…"

"Morganna stop this!"

"No…" her eyes were hollow and he could finally see her aura. It was black, darker than the shadows. "You were all I want, and you rejected me, I have nothing else to live for."

"MORGANNA!" She pointed the Dust Scepter at him, her black aura swirling around it.

"_**For it is in passing that you will suffer Mortality. Through this, you will forever strive for love or glory, only obtaining one, and losing the other, bounded by death." **_The scepter released a beam that struck Elias, causing him scream in pain. _**"I chain your soul, and by my will, your lineage will suffer the same fate. Coeur Sanglant!"**_

Once more the world went dark for Elias once more.

::::

History tells us that Morganna Arc fell to battle. What really happened was she was overcome by jealousy and rage, and with the power of Dust and Aura, created the first and last Aura Curse; bound to her beloved brother's soul. The price of such dark magicks was her life as the spell used her entire Aura, killing her instantly.

Elias would recover and eventually marry Marta Scarlatina. They would have a strained relationship due to the unrest caused by the curse. Eventually Marta left Elias, and Elias went on to fight in the First Human/Faunus war.

After the war, Elias tried to settle down again and succeeded. They would eventually sire their first child, a boy.

That boy would eventually grow into a man, driven by his need for battle, for glory, for victory.

And thusly the curse place upon the Arc Lineage would forever haunt them.

Coeur Sanglant; Bloody Heart, the Curse of Destruction.

**End of Chapter 5**


	7. Chapter 6

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_You know after writing that chapter, and getting a review pointing it out, Jaune and Velvet are not supposed to be related, however, I'm going to roll with it, as I remembered something about Velvet that I forgot._

_Velvet had a decisive role in the series, now I have a decisive reason to why she does._

_Utoplex – you missed the name of the General: Garnett Rose XD_

_Nothing else to say about this chapter, it might not be my strongest, not after the Book Arc, or the Phantasm Interlude, but now we're in the War Arc._

_Also I was thinking about starting a TVTropes page for this - I love those things. If you know how to set one up, let me know._

"_**Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world…"**_

**Chapter 6 – Burn**

Team Ruby and Team Juniper sat quietly and ate lunch. Something felt off, more than usual, and everyone could feel it, Jaune especially. He was picking at his food and he looked tired, like he hasn't been able to sleep.

"Jaune, you okay there buddy?" Yang asked as she watch him dip slightly, like he was about to pass out.

"Huh? Oh…y-yeah, I…I just couldn't sleep. The curse has been…singing." Jaune replied.

"What curse?" Ren asked confused.

"Oh…that's right, I forgot to tell you," Pyrrha remembered as she turned to Ren and Nora. "Jaune is suffering from the Curse of Destruction that has been plaguing his family for generations."

"Curse of Destruction?" Ren, Nora, and Jaune asked?

They all turned to Jaune who looked confused, "Is that what people call it? It has an official name, you know. Coeur Sanglant, the first and last Aura Curse."

"Coeur…Sanglant?" Weiss tested the word. "Bloody Heart?"

"Yeah…I don't know how we got it," Jaune explained. "My father wouldn't tell me, saying I wasn't ready to learn about it. He said it's tied to how my Ancestor Morganna Arc died."

"Morganna Arc," Weiss commented. "My Ancestor said in his notes that she was a brilliant Aura Mage before the First Great War. It was part of the notes she left him that allowed me to create Myrtenaster."

"Ekkehardt Schnee right?" Jaune questioned. Weiss nodded. "That man was brilliant indeed. He took part of what's known as the first expansion of Vale. Him, along with Garnett Rose, Calogera Belladonna, and Abrax Nikos."

Several eyes widen at that piece of information, "Wait, Rose, Belladonna, and Nikos? Like Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha?" Yang asked.

"Mhmm," Jaune said finally waking up. Talking about history always did make him happy. "Garnett Rose, also known as the Thorn-Vest General, led most of the missions to expand the land. Calogera Belladonna, one of the few highly decorated Faunus of her time, was part of his Recon team, even siding with him during the First Great War. And Abrax Nikos, the Red Spartan, and Elias's rival." Jaune chuckled. "I wonder how annoyed they'd be if they knew their descendants were partners."

Everyone laughed at that. "What else can you tell us about that time?" Blake asked curious.

"There's not much to tell other than what History Books tells us. A lot people we all mutually know are descendants of them. Like Ms. Goodwitch; her ancestor was a well know Aura Healer."

"Anyone else that you know who Ancestors worked with your own?" Weiss questioned.

"Well…You know third year Velvet Scarlatina?" Jaune asked curiously. Blake, Ren, Pyrrha, and Weiss nodded. "She's related to me."

"What?!" Blake exclaimed. "How?"

"I could explain it, but people usually never believe me when I tell them. Hold on, lemme grab Velvet to help explain," Jaune said getting up and leaving before they could respond.

"I'm horribly confused. Isn't Velvet a Faunus?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, she is," Yang said remembering how they saw her get bullied by Cardin.

"Then how?"

"I'm back," Jaune announced, bringing a confused Velvet with him. She sat down next to him.

"What's going on?" She asked nervously. Where they going to bully her too?

"I'm talking a bit about the First Expansion of Vale," Jaune explained, calming her down a bit. "And I was going to explain-"

"How are you and Velvet related?!" Weiss demanded. Velvet's eyes widen, then she smiled.

"Calm down, Snow Angel," Jaune said causing Weiss to blush. "Elias Arc's wife was Marta Scarlatina."

"Elias…married a Faunus?" Blake questioned.

"Mmhmm," Jaune said nodding.

"It's true, the Scarlatina family has been close to the Arc Family, often setting up arranged marriages," Velvet explained. "I'm surprised Jaune remembered himself. He was always a bit forgetful."

"We share the same Great-Grandparent," Jaune pointed out. "Darien Arc and Serena Scarlatina."

"Oh that's right!" She said remember smiling. "Say do you still wear those blue footie pajamas with the rabbit on the chest?"

"Yes I do," Jaune muttered face palming, causing the others to laugh at him. "I love my sister Emmy, but I really wish she didn't insist of buying me those."

"You're the one who keeps wearing them," Yang pointed out.

"They're comfortable," Jaune defended.

"You know I was the one who suggested which one, right?" Velvet had a grin on her face. "She was going to get the ones that made you look like a penguin."

Jaune gave Velvet a withering glare, "Curses…"

"So…Jaune is part Faunus, and you're part Human?" Weiss asked interrupting that what she thought was horribly amusing. She read about the footie pajamas, and knew his sister got it for him, but she didn't know he still wore them or that Velvet influenced the acquisition of them.

"Not enough to be noticed by geneticist," Jaune answered. "Still we are cousins, I just kind of…forgot."

"How can you forget your own family?" Ren asked confused.

"The curse for one," Jaune admitted. "I was too worried about snapping and hurting someone. Then there's the fact that I forgot myself until we started talking about it. A lot of stuff I knew came from word of mouth, none of it was ever recorded and Elias never had an Arc Codex."

"I can help you with the curse if you wish, cousin," Velvet said with a smile. "My Ancestors found a way to safely suppress it without you going through an episode."

"Been there, done that, sat on a throne made of Beowolf corpses," Jaune deadpanned, causing Velvet to laugh nervously. "Don't worry, if it gets bad, I'll come to you for help."

"Alright…"

Suddenly the digital displays around the Cafeteria lit up. They were placed there to show the news, but now it seems like someone had hacked the signal as it showed a masked blonde man standing in the middle of the road of a town.

"**Greetings Ladies and Gentle…men of Vale," **the blond man said. **"Are you tired of this peaceful life? Want something a bit more exciting? Like a war? I know I do. My name is Alain Arc, and yes, I am an Arc…that was disowned by them."** He sounded slightly bitter by that. **"And this is my camera man, Perry. Say hello Perry."**

"**Hello."** The man holding the camera greeted.

"**Perry, where are we right now?"** Alain asked as they began walking down the street.

"**We're at Loamstol,"** Perry answered.

"**Ah yes Loamstol, thirty-five minutes from Vale by Bullhorn, and have a population of three hundred and forty-eight."** Alain rattled off. Then he turned to the camera, showing off his dark grin. **"**_**Let's fix that.**_**"**

When he said that, Jaune clenched his fists. "He wouldn't…"

"**Now I know you're watching, dearest cousins, and you're probably thinking 'he wouldn't.'"** Alain said as they made it to a Bullhorn and took off. Soon they were over the small town. **"But…Perry get a shot of this would you?"**

"**Y-Yes sir."** Perry pointed the camera out the door of the Bullhorn down in the center of town, where…

"I-Is that all the citizens of Loamstol?!" Weiss exclaimed shocked. The students looked in horror as the entire town was congregated near the center of two, almost looking like a mass of bodies.

"**For those who guessed it, yes, that's all three hundred and forty-eight citizen of Loamstol; every man, woman, and child, Human and Faunus! All tied up and ready for my science experiment."**

Everyone's stomach dropped when they heard his words. That bad feeling they had earlier came back ten-fold.

"**Now, quick science question, citizens of Vale, what would you get when you cause a violate reaction between fire dust and wind dust? The answer, a fire bomb, but not just any fire bomb, oh no. The fire dust superheats the wind and the wind dust empowers the fire, causing an interesting result…" **He pulled out a device that looked like a detonator. **"Boop."**

The camera shook as Alain took it from Perry and pointed it at the citizens of Loamstol…the burning citizens of Loamstol. They could...hear their screams of agony.

"**You create what I like to call Napalm, a very deadly and beautiful effect that burns anything it comes into contact with. Consider this my declaration of war against the government!" **Alain began laughing as he tossed the camera away, laughing as he did. The camera hit the ground, cutting the feed.

"Damn it!" Jaune yelled. Several students were in shock at what they saw. Jaune looked at his friends. Nora was in shock, shivering, while Ren held her, trying to calm her down. Ruby wasn't fairing any better, as Yang had to hold her, as she was crying. Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, and Velvet were shocked too, but they were faring better. "So it begins…"

::::

Classes were canceled that week, as some of the students had family in Loamstal. Team Ruby, Juniper, and Coffee were sitting in the student commons. Ruby and Nora were slowly recovering, but it didn't help the fact that Jaune was angry. Actually angry was an understatement.

"Je ne peux pas croire que le cousin de trahison de la mine serait faire! (I cannot believe my traitorous cousin did this!)" Jaune ranted in French.

"Cousin, calmez-vous. Se mettre en colère ne va pas aider le problème. (Cousin, calm down. Getting angry will not help the problem.)" Velvet replied softly.

"Velvet, il a juste brûlé une ville, je ne peux pas être calme. (Velvet, he just burned down a town, I can't calm down.)" Jaune replied.

"Could you two speak English?" Coco asked. "Not that this isn't interesting, I never knew Velvet had a cousin, and he's human, or that they can speak French."

Jaune sighed as Velvet blushed embarrassed. "Sorry, I'm just…frustrated. We all knew Alain was mad, but what he did…"

"What can you tell us about Alain Arc?" Weiss questioned.

"He's my cousin on my dad side." Jaune explained. "He was actually supposed to be the wielder of Crocea Mores, but his Aura was Gray."

"What does that mean?" Fox asked.

"All Arc's Auras are White. It has been since Elias Arc had his unlocked, but there are a few exceptions to that rule," Jaune explained. "Alain's father had a Black Aura. Black Auras were usually considered taboo by the Arc Family; as they're souls are closer to the Coeur Sanglant curse than anyone else. As a result, he was notably feared by our family. Contrary though, he was very neutral about how he handled things and we were surprised he even got married and had a kid."

"Alain though…" Velvet continued. "Was very vain and violent. He considered himself the "most beautiful Arc in existence" and his acts of violence was him "punishing the ugly". I went to combat school with him before I came to Beacon. He was expelled from the school when he killed several students in a sparring match. That was the last time I saw him at least."

"And now he's trying to incite a war," Jaune growled. "To capture that many people just to execute them…how did he get that kind of man power?"

::::

Mercury and Emerald watched from a safe distance as Alain continued to chuckle about his deed. Cinder was frowning, and Roman was indifferent.

"You see," Alain said chuckling at the news reports about the massacre of Loamstal. "That's how you distract the masses."

"Oh?" Cinder asked. "I thought you killed them just for kicks."

"That I did, fair maiden," Alain replied grinning, "But now…all I need to do is pop up in certain places, kill a bunch of people, and they'll turn their eye to that location, while you and your little pawns can say…continue to gather Dust, Weapons, and equipment."

"They're nervous about working with you," Cinder explained. "You did kill a lot of Faunus."

"Casualties of war," Alain said uncaringly. "Don't try to start a revolution if you're not committed to do whatever it takes to achieve victory. So…what is it that you plan to do now?"

"I have some…plans," Cinder said delicately. "I'll leave Roman in charge with the White Fang, and you do…what you need to you."

"As you wish." Alain said with a grin.

"Come Emerald, Mercury." Cinder said moving away from them. The two teens followed, not wanting to be near the psychopath.

"So what do we do?" Emerald asked.

"We're going to Beacon Academy to find Jaune Arc," Cinder said quietly. "And I want you to work with him to stop Alain."

"What?" Mercury looked confused.

"That boy is a mad man, and has the Arc blood running through him. Once he starts, he'll keep doing things like this until a full on war breaks out," Cinder replied frowning. "This goes against my plans, and I don't think I can stop him in combat."

"So what, we're going to find his cousin, and hopefully he can stop him?"

"Yes, because at the end of the day, only an Arc can hope to kill an Arc."

::::

Nighttime fell and Ozpin was still awake, staring out his office window.

"The entire down was burned down, you know. Three Hundred killed, forty-eight critically injured with low chance of survival. And the perpetrator did it because he could." Ozpin said to the only other person in the room, Glynda.

"Sir?"

"I saw that grin on his face…it was the same look Jaune's father had when he massacred those crooks twenty-two years ago. I tried to stop him, you know? The blow he dealt me crippled me to an extent."

"I know sir…"

"Now we have a psychopath running around on top of Roman Torchwick, and the White Fang. The council of Vale wants me to mobilize our students as well as our own armies."

"Sir that's absurd! They're children!"

"Do you think that the council cares? Do you think Alain cares? He blatantly called out his younger cousins Jaune Arc and Velvet Scarlatina in his "show" for them to watch." Ozpin took a sip of his drink; it was cold…bitter, just how he felt. "We gave the students a week off, but after the week is over, they'll begin training. It's out of my hands Glynda."

Ozpin turned to the woman, and she was surprised to see tears running down his stoic face. "The students of Beacon will prepare for war."

**End of Chapter 6**

_Not really feeling the second part of that chapter, but it'll work out. I'll freely admit later that this wasn't my best chapter, but it sets up for what I have planned nicely._

_Edits (11/13/2014): _

_I changed a bit Jaune and Velvet's dialogue. It has been bugging me for a while, and hopefully the changes make more sense. Hopefully._

_Changed a bit of Cinder's dialogue to better fit the plot. _


	8. Chapter 7

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_I felt like I needed to write another chapter; I couldn't but help have this feeling that last chapter was bad so I wrote this one quickly._

_I'm…aware…that Chapter Six is weak. Considering all the other chapters before it, it…bad. The pacing is wrong, it felt rushed, and there's no real reaction to a lot of things I wrote in there._

_That's…because of rating and people's reaction._

_Hear me out._

_I'm a comedian, YouTube comedian…uh…a lets player…and a writer. I've said things, I've seen things, and I've even read things, and I'm pretty much immune to a lot of themes, a lot of dark, and very insane things._

_I enjoy really dark humor. It comes with the people I hang with, and honestly, I would've gladly expanded on a lot things in Chapter 6._

_However, I didn't want to because I knew that a lot of people don't have the same immunity as I do. That people are…what is it they call it? "Trigger"? They get "Triggered" by a lot of themes, and I don't want to be put in that position where I have to deal with that. I've been there before, and I while I respect everyone's wishes, I do not want to deal with that again._

_Believe me, the original cut of Alain's genocide on Loamstol was very much graphic and he did some very…fuck up things. _

_And I did not want to "trigger" any of my fans if they have those issues with dark themes like that._

_So I settled with burning the entire city alive and was very vague about it._

_Also about Jaune not doing anything with Velvet when she was getting bullied – remember this: Jaune didn't want to make things worse; this was canon Jaune at the time remember? He was trying to be inconspicuous as possible, and he didn't remember that Velvet was his cousin. And to be fair, I did state that Velvet forgot too. She's at least two years older than Jaune as I placed her as a third year student._

_And honestly, to answer a question about their genetics; genetics is still a fickle science – and the technology they have in the RWBY Universe is kind of weird – at some points it's like ours, but then they have holo displays, robots, and mechs. Sometimes it feels like I'm watching the birth of the Gundam Universe or the Mech Warrior Universe when I view their technology._

_Darien Arc and Serena Scarlatina (Seriously nobody got that reference? Sailor Moon anyone?) Were stated to be their great-grand parents. Their children were half humans and half faunus. Their children then married and had children that had either more Human DNA or Faunus DNA. And it kept going until the lesser DNA was quite diluted._

_I'm actually like that myself, I'm African American and Native American, but the Native American in me is so small, you wouldn't have guessed it looking at me directly or genetically. Humanoid Races in fiction tend to work like Nationality._

_Prime example – Gohan from DBZ. World strongest being, goes to high school, nobody knows he's that strong. Why? He looks like everyone else. Nobody knows he's half saiyan, half human. _

_Unless he spouts his tail (which I've seen that happen in fanfiction, and believe me, it gets funnier EVERY TIME) in the middle of class, then nobody can really call him out on being an alien because its proven that even Humans can do the same thing that Saiyans could._

_Finally that contradiction – if Jaune and Velvet knew they were cousins, why was she worried that she would get bullied?_

_Just because your cousin is nice to you doesn't mean their friends will be as well._

_Trust me…I've…I've been on the receiving end of that, and it's not pretty._

_So, in short, I will rewrite chapter six as intended on a later date if you all agree to it. I don't want to ruin the story for you guys and, I really enjoy writing it._

_So sorry for this long intrusive note, I really wanted to get this off my chest. Thank you for your time and enjoy._

_To those who guessed it right, Jaune's Cursed Mode is based on Madara Uchiha. Alain is already stuck in his Cursed Mode, by the way, and he acts like Vega from Street Fighter._

_I'd like to congratulate ImSoAwesome and Graive the Crimzon for guessing it right. _

_I think War Arc isn't an appropriate title for this Arc, more like…uh…Before the Storm, Maybe?_

_I'm glad you guys are still with me on this. Even I'm reading my own work like "Holy shit dude, what's going to happen next?" I mean, I know what's going to happen next, but still._

_Things are happening, true believers, and it's only going to get better from here._

"_**Now it's time to say goodbye, to the things we loved, and the innocence of…"**_

**Chapter 7 – Youth**

**It's been two days since Alain declared War on the Government. Two days since the Loamstol Massacre as they were calling it…heh…it wasn't a massacre.**

**A massacre would imply the people had a chance to fight back, some valiant effort that would immortalize them in the books of History.**

**What Alain did was genocide. He didn't need to kill those people, but he did. **

**It's been two days since then, and I can see the looks on everyone's faces when they look at me.**

**Fear. Disgust. Anger.**

**Alain, although disowned, was my family member. An Arc did something so…atrocious, and the…children here are looking to blame me for it. I don't care though. I don't think I ever did care about them. To me, they're faceless numbers, faceless and unimportant.**

**That may seem cold but they're children to me. They seek revenge against the wrong entity.**

**I guess…I've been changing a bit. I can sense it on the horizon. When it comes down to it, an Arc can only best an Arc.**

**Now…I don't doubt that people can kill me or Alain…**

**But I rather not see the results of that battle.**

**The world is at stake and the specter of death looms over me.**

**I need to get stronger.**

**::::**

Pyrrha and Ruby watched Jaune as he tore through another wave of training bots they had there in the academy. The Atlesian Knight-130 was the standard in security in protecting the people from hostile forces such as Grimm, and criminals. They were designed to take the place of people on the battle field.

Jaune took exception to that. Sure, they could be programmed to fight like human enemies like they were in the academy, but they couldn't take the place of human ingenuity and the ability to adapt on the field of battle.

"These pitiful machines are hardly worth the trouble," Jaune growled.

One thing they noticed about Jaune, now that he wasn't holding back anymore, was the demeanor he held while fighting. The old Jaune, the one they're used to, was clumsy, afraid to strike his enemies.

The Cursed Jaune, as Yang called him (as if he was some comic book hero), was cold, meticulous, and definitely not clumsy. This Jaune never used his shield and only fought with his sword. He was more acrobatic, and used more kicks in his combat strategy. It didn't help that due to his wardrobe change, he looked slightly more intimidating.

That white hooded cloak covered the upper part of his face in a dark shadow, and whenever he was in that cursed mode, his eyes glowed white, giving him a very dark and evil look.

Jaune sighed, "Terminate Training Simulation." He called out. The remaining bots stopped advancing on him and moved back to their positions. He walked over to where Pyrrha and Ruby sat, and sat between them. "I'm frustrated."

"We could tell," Pyrrha said amused. "Were the bots not to your liking?"

"No…at least with Grimm, they would adapt to the situation, these things wouldn't provide any decent training, especially against real human targets," Jaune explained frowning. "Still it was a decent work out. I needed to stretch and take my mind off things."

"Are they still glaring at you?" Ruby asked concerned.

"Yeah…it might turn ugly soon," Jaune admitted. "If it does, I want you girls to go get Ozpin or another teacher while hold them off."

"Jaune we're not going to leave you to fight," Pyrrha said exasperated. "How many times do we have to tell you?"

"As many times as I have to say it apparently," Jaune sighed. "I love you girls, you know that?"

"We know," Ruby said with a small smile. Pyrrha nodded as well.

"Just checking…" Jaune yawned. "I'm just going to relax here until I get enough energy to go grab lunch or something."

"All you do is eat, fight, and sleep," Ruby said with a small pout. "Don't you have any other hobbies?"

"Well I write," Jaune offered and winced. He remembered that they knew that. "And…I got nothing." The girls giggled at him.

"Jaune," Pyrrha began after she got her laughter under control. "Tell me…how do your mothers handle being with the same man?"

"Honestly?" Jaune asked. Seeing them both nod, he continued. "It's like a sisterhood really. They all sleep in the same bed with dad, take baths together, and raised us. They have jobs and hobbies like everyone else, and they readily depend on each other if something happens to one of them. There are fights…but they all come together when it matters. It's like they're a team of their own, you know?"

That shocked Ruby and Pyrrha. They never thought of it like that before. All five girls all weighed the pros and cons of sharing the same man. Some of them were unsure of how it worked and wasn't sure how they would be able to pull it off. Now they knew.

"Ruby," Pyrrha called to the younger girl, "I'm going to go get the others. Make sure Jaune doesn't fall asleep on us again."

"One time, and they never let you live it down," Jaune grumbled.

Ruby giggled, "Sure. Hurry back." Pyrrha nodded and left.

"How are you holding up?" Jaune asked. "You know…the whole…thing."

Ruby sighed as she knew what he was talking about, "I'm…doing better I guess. I never saw something so…so…"

"Horrific?"

"Yeah…"

"Well… we got to be strong, Ruby," Jaune told her quietly. "Strong not only for ourselves, but also for our friends."

"How did you deal with it?" Ruby asked.

"I was too angry to really feel the shock value of it," Jaune replied honestly. "And…honestly, I felt…numb."

"Numb?"

"Yeah…it was weird…after the burst of anger, I just felt…nothing. No anger, no sadness, no regrets, no nothing." Jaune explained. "When we got back to our rooms, I felt disgusted with myself. People died, and I didn't feel anything for them. And that's when I promised myself that I will stop Alain personally."

"You won't be doing it alone," Ruby warned.

"I know I can't do it alone, but I will if I have to," Jaune told her. "Alain…he's my responsibility now, and I won't let him hurt any of my friends."

"Jaune…" Ruby whispered as she leaned towards him. "We can protect ourselves."

"I know…I just…don't want to see any of your hurt…" he whispered back before capturing her lips. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Ruby didn't resist. After all, this is what she wanted.

::::

Cardin sneered as he watched his fellow team leaders make out in the training room.

'_That bastard! He's responsible for what happened at Loamstol! How dare he sit there and act like he isn't at fault! I let you go because you saved my life, but I lost FAMILY in Loamstol.'_

Cardin marched right into the room, mace in hand. "ARC!"

Ruby squeaked and quickly parted away from Jaune while said boy groaned. "Bon dieu, it was getting good…" he muttered while Ruby was blushing up a storm. "What do you want Winchester?"

"I'm calling you out, Arc, and we're going to settle this once and for all!" Cardin shouted.

"Settle what exactly?" Jaune questioned as he looked at Cardin. He could see the hate and pain in his eyes. "Seriously? You too? Ugh you know what; I don't have time for this…"

"Well make time damn it! I lost family because your demented cousin and I want retribution!"

"Oh so it's revenger?" Jaune questioned. "You want to take a pound of flesh from me since you're not man enough to go after the man responsible, is that it? Che, how troublesome." Jaune made his way down to where Cardin was. "All for revenge, eh? Think that'll bring them back?"

"Shut up!"

"Hey I'm just saying," Jaune said pulling his hood back over his head, it somehow coming off when he and Ruby were making out. "You asked for this dance. Let's see if you can keep up."

Cardin growled as he charged Jaune. Jaune merely grinned.

::::

News spread throughout the school; Cardin went after Jaune for what happened at Loamstol. All the student ran to the training room to watch the fight in motion, including Team Ruby, Juniper, and Coffee.

When they got there, they could see Jaune still casually standing around, not a scratch on him. Cardin on the other hand looked bruised and beaten. His arm was bleeding from several cuts from Jaune's blade, and there was a lean in his stance. He was favoring his left side.

"Come now Cardin," Jaune said calmly. "You came here to dance, and you've been boring me. What happened to the warrior I once knew?"

"S-Shut up! You'll pay for what you did!"

"What I did?" Jaune asked amused. "Do you know what I did? I watched a man from my family murder innocents because he could. I felt the shame and regret of ever being associated with that monster. And do you know what I did? I manned up and began training. I seek to stop him once and for all."

"Shut up! You shouldn't even be at Beacon! You faked your transcripts," Cardin sneered as several people gasped.

"I did," Jaune said unashamedly. "And do you want to know something? Ozpin knew."

"What?" Cardin was shocked.

"Ozpin knew the entire time. You see, Ozpin knows everything about all his students, including me and you. He knows every little dirty secret we have. Me, faking my transcripts to get into Beacon? Oh he knew that, before I reached here, you can't hide anything from that man." Jaune said shaking his head. "And do you know why he let me stay here at Beacon?"

"W-Why?"

"Because an Arc isn't a Huntsmen; an Arc is a weapon. A weapon that in its youth need to be molded, that wants to be molded into the perfect weapon." Jaune explained coldly. "Right now, I'm on standby; he and I both know this, and I'm training to get stronger. Why? Because as soon as we're ready, I'm going to be pointed at our enemy, Alain. I'm going to find him, and I'm going to kill him, and probably die in the process with a cheerful smile on my face."

"H-how can you talk about dying so-"

"Casually? From our youth, Arc men are told of the glory of death in battle. We are measured and tempered by the thought of dying in the heat of war. This is the truth of the Arc Legacy. We are born to die." Jaune said before he looked at all of the students of Beacon who were silent. "You want to know something, students of Beacon? I don't care about your hate, your fear, or your disgust at Alain being my cousin. I want him dead. If you get in my way, I will kill you myself because you're putting your pettiness over the one thing everyone deserves – peace. You want revenge? Stand by me, become my troops. I will grant you your revenge. I will help you achieve glory. Alain has many allies – I can feel it in my soul. And he's not afraid to go after the innocent. You call yourself Huntsmen and Huntresses – do we not protect the innocent?"

"Yeah!" Yang shouted.

"Do we not fight to keep the peace?"

"Yeah!" Several students cheered alongside Yang this time, including their teams.

"Are we not warriors, training to protect our world from monsters!?" Jaune shouted.

"Yeah!" everyone shouted this time.

"Then we know what we are! We are heroes, warriors who fight monsters and protect our world! And there's a monster called Alain Arc who kills for no reason but for his own sick pleasures! He no better than the measly Boarbatusk that scurries across the ground! Will you stand by me as Huntsmen…no as Warriors of Peace and Justice? Will you help me bring that mad man down? Or are you going to let him get away with what he did?"

"NO!"

"Good," Jaune looked down at Cardin. "Will you stand at my side and crush our enemies together, or do you wish to continue fighting me? I'm fine either way."

"N-no…" Cardin muttered defeated. His hated gone.

"Get yourself cleaned up, Cardin, we have much to do." He turned to the students of Beacon. "My fellow warriors! Train! Get stronger! Let us show my foolish cousin the error of his ways!"

"SIR, YES, SIR!"

As the students moved to get to training, hidden from everyone else stood Ozpin and Glynda.

"Do you see now?" Ozpin asked. "This is why I allowed him to stay at Beacon. Nobody can rally a group of soldiers like an Arc can."

"Ozpin we can't let him do this, he's going to lead them to their deaths."

"Glynda," Ozpin said calmly. "He knows what he's doing; after all, this is what he was trained for." Ozpin took a sip of his coffee, the sweetness returning to him. "The students will need help training. Gather Peter, Bart, and Peach. I'm going to make some arrangements."

::::

Deep inside his hidden base, Alain felt a shiver go down his spine. He knew that feeling, that beautiful feeling. Someone granted his deepest desire; a war was coming. A war led by an Arc. Alain couldn't help but to feel giddy over the feeling he had.

"Devdas! I call to you my servant!" Alain calls out to him.

"Y-you called my lord," the servant came forth from his hidden position and bowed.

"Yes, I need you to do something for me…" Alain began. "I need you to get in contact with a group of Mercenaries I know, the Einherjar Knights. Tell them I have a job for them. Spare no expense."

"A-At once, my lord!" Devdas said before fleeing.

Alain chucked, "With the White Fang, Roman Torchwick, and the Einherjar Knights, that's all I need to crush my pitiful foes. I wonder, dear cousin, what do you have?"

::::

Jaune sighed as he made it back to his room. He spent the entire day helping his fellow students train, giving them pointers, and the like. He yawned as he went to enter his dorm. Suddenly he was grabbed from behind, and dragged. _'Is this going to be a trend?' _he humorously thought. He soon found himself, once again, in Team Ruby's room. He noted that Pyrrha was in the room as well and Ruby herself was blushing up a storm. "May I help you ladies?"

"We heard that you were making out with Ruby," Weiss said calmly with a frown on her face.

"That I was," Jaune admitted. "Then Cardin came in and wanted a piece of me too, but I don't swing that way."

Yang, Ruby, and Blake snickered, while Pyrrha smiled and Weiss's frown waivered. "Stop trying to make me laugh," Weiss said amused. "I'm mad at you."

"What did I do?" Jaune asked confused.

"You kissed Ruby first," Weiss told him.

"Why would that-…oh I see." Jaune slowly grinned. "You wanted me to kiss your first. Am I right Snow Angel?"

"S-Shut up! That's not it!" Weiss denied blushing.

"No need to deny it," Jaune said amused. "If you want, I'll kiss all of you right here, right now."

"As tempting as it is," Pyrrha said interrupting and saving Weiss from further embarrassment. "We wanted to discuss something with you."

"Sure," Jaune agreed, fighting back a yawn. "I really need to sleep though…I'm drained."

"I promise it won't take long," Pyrrha assured, knowing her leader's love of sleep.

"So what's up?"

"If we pursuit a relationship with you, will you treat us all equally?" Weiss asked shyly.

"That I will, and that's a promise. An Arc never goes back on his word, you know." Jaune told them.

"And will you promise us that you won't get yourself killed out there, vomit boy?" Yang asked.

"If I have you gals to come back to, I'll be come invincible on the battlefield," Jaune admitted.

"Good," Weiss said before she grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss.

Jaune could instantly tell the difference between kissing Ruby and kissing Weiss, besides the obvious. Ruby's lips tasted sweet, like strawberries, while Weiss's lips were cool and refreshing, like peppermint. She pulled away from him, stunned.

"W-Wow…I didn't think he was such a good kisser…" Weiss murmured.

"Now I definitely need to try his lips." Yang said moving over to the teen.

'_Well…this is certainly will be a thing,' _Jaune thought amused.

::::

The next day, Ren looked at Jaune. "What the hell happen to you lips?" Jaune's lips were slightly bruised, though they were healing slowly with is aura.

"Let's just say I became the luckiest man in the world, and my lips paid the ultimate price," Jaune said with a goofy grin on his face.

"Explain," Ren demanded.

"Did you know that my family can legally practice Polygamy because love weakens the curse?" Jaune asked amused.

"…no…you're lying!" Ren shouted.

"It's true. You can look it up in any legal document in any of the four kingdoms."

"Who?" Ren was glaring.

"Pyrrha, Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and Blake," Jaune said cheerfully. "They love kissing me apparently."

"…" Ren was shocked.

"You know, you and Nora should get together-together already," Jaune pointed out as Ren stood there trying to comprehend. "After I kissed my beloved ladies, they were stunned for a very long time, very quiet too."

"Really…" Ren said thoughtfully.

"Though you know the consequence for that is that you'll be committed with your childhood friend," Jaune commented.

"Nora is special to me," Ren admitted. "Of course I would be committed to her if we were together-together."

"I know Nora is pretty cute," Jaune began, "But what do you like about her? Indulge me."

Ren sighed. "To me, she's the brightest star in the night, a shining beacon that keeps me going. I wake up every morning, just to see her cheerful smile. Her soul is so bright and beautiful. And I really love it when she hugs me, to be honest. I get a warm feeling in my chest every time."

"Uh huh…" Ren looked at Jaune who had a strange smile on his face.

"She's right behind me isn't she?"

"Eyup."

"She's blushing up a storm?"

"Certainly."

"Glomp imminent?"

"Most definitely."

Ren turned around to see Nora. "Bring it on."

Jaune chuckled as Nora tackled Ren to the ground. This is why he loves his team.

::::

The students looked nervous as they were called into the Amphitheater. Apparently Professor Ozpin had a serious announcement to make. Standing behind the headmaster was Professors Glynda Goodwitch, Peter Port, Bartholomew Oobleck, and James Peach. James Peach was a gangly looking man that had brown hair and eyes. He wore glasses and wore a brown suit. Normally an unassuming man, Professor Peach was an explorer at heart, having been to every corner of the world. He teaches the students basic geography and survival skills.

"I'll keep this brief," Ozpin began, giving the students a reminder of the first speech he gave to them. "As you know, Alain Arc, declared war on Vale and its inhabitants, and he did so by brutally murdering the citizens of Loamstol, and in a blink of an eye, he took your innocence and nearly turned you against one of your own. But yesterday, I saw something in you all. A spark of defiance if you will. As Huntsmen and Huntresses, you were trained to fight the creatures of Grimm, and due to the evil intentions of an individual, you decided to turn your target from the Grimm to the monster we all hate." He paused for a moment. "This decision, though spurred by an individual, will be the hardest thing I would ever allow my students to do, but as I look into each and every one of you, I see hope for that peaceful future I once fought for myself so long ago."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "As you know, Beacon answers to the Council of Vale, and on the night Alain slaughtered Loamstol, they ordered me to prepare you all for war. And that was something I thought I couldn't do, not you children. But now I feel that I can. I don't see you as children, not after Mr. Arc's rousing speech. As of today, Beacon is no longer institution of learning, but an institution of war, as we will be training you all for the difficult road ahead. Teams won't be broken up, but we will be teaching you all skills, skills that we feel that will help you along the way. I have called my old Teammates, Zvonimir and Ethan Arc to assist in your training."

"Make no mistake, warriors of Beacon," Ozpin continued. "After this war, you will no longer need to attend Beacon, as I have no doubt that you will become bloodied. War in itself, is a horrible but effective teacher, but if you can kill your fellow person, no matter how evil, you can certainly kill Grimm. If you wish to back out, please let us know, but until then, continue to train, continue to grow strong, and continue to strive for the peace we all wish to obtain. You are dismissed."

::::

Back at the student commons, there was a somber mood as the realization of what this War meant. Jaune looked around to his beloveds, his friends, and his teammates.

"Alright, that's enough," Jaune said causing everyone to look at him. "I can't stand this mood."

"Jaune…" Ruby muttered.

"I understand how you all feel," Jaune continued. "Believe me, I wouldn't wish this on anyone else but myself. War is a bloody business, Bates, and you'll never recover from the thought of actually killing someone. I know I haven't."

"What do you mean?" Blake asked.

"I've killed before…another human. The guy was total scum, a criminal rapist." Jaune explained. "You feel so justified taking those who you deem evil down, but then reality sets in – you just killed a man. Your mind keeps making up excuses, justifying why you did it. People call you a hero for stopping a monster like that, but it doesn't erase the guilt, nor do you ever want to get used to it. People like Alain, they _enjoy _killing. And if I have to kill _them _before they hurt another innocent, then I will bloody my hands even more."

"We're not like you," Coco rebuked. "We're not trained to be killers."

"But you are," Jaune replied. "Just replace a Beowolf with say…a murderer? An Ursa with a rapist. The harsh reality is that Huntsmen and Huntresses are trained to kill, but we don't kill other people…except in War. Professor Ozpin offered you all a chance to walk away from this and I won't think poorly of any of you if you do. In fact, I encourage it."

"You're not getting us to leave that easily, vomit boy," Yang said with a smile.

"We need to make sure you don't do something stupid…as usual," Weiss added.

"I would never abandon my cousin," Velvet added as well. "Him and his blue onesie."

"You wear an onesie?" Fox asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Bon dieu, Velvet, quit telling people about my onesie!" Jaune barked annoyed.

"Not if I keep getting responses like that from you," Velvet teased.

"If you keep this up, Mr. Barksie is going to feel my displeasure," Jaune growled.

"You leave Mr. Barksie alone, Jaune!" Velvet yelled back.

"Mr…Barksie?" Coco asked amused.

"Velvet stuffed Beowolf Plushy." Jaune teased. "When she was younger, she couldn't sleep without it. I wonder how she does it now."

"You mean that plushy she keeps on her bed?" Fox asked

"Fox~!" Velvet whined.

"Now I know where it is," Jaune cackled. "He shall face my wrath!"

"Jaune Emile Arc, if you even think about touching Mr. Barksie, I will end you!"

"…his middle name is Emile?" Pyrrha asked.

"Apparently so…" Blake replied amused.

They all watched as the two cousins through threats at each other, as the somber mood lifted. They still knew they had a war to train for, but scenes like this…

This is what they're fighting for; as the youth of tomorrow.

**End of Chapter 7**

[_edited in the AN I tried to post - I forgot its against the rules so I just added it onto this chapter]_


	9. Chapter 8

_**Mightier Than The Sword**_

_Is it sad I already know the next RWBY fanfiction I want to write next? I recently re-watched a movie of mine, and I have such great ideas. I think I'll do what some writers do and do a compilation of Fanfic Ideas I have. Of course any I do will be up for adoption, but I'll probably pick a few to do._

_To LazyLegionsSpark – don't worry about it, I accepted the criticism with open arms and understood what was wrong with what I did. I just felt like I owed it to you all to explain why that chapter continues to vex me so. I'm still offering to do a re-write, maybe a retelling of Chapter 6 as its own stand-alone story. Iunno. I understand that a lot of people enjoyed it, but I can't help but to think "it could be better"._

_Still looking into making a tvtropes page on this…or maybe a website where I talk about each chapter in detail or something without breaking any rules…_

_Also I'm surprised nobody has asked about Sun yet. _

"_**I know what they don't wanna tell you…just hope you're heaven sent, and you're…"**_

_**Chapter 8 – Hell Proof**_

Roman sat in his office ruminating what's been happening over the last week. He realized, in hindsight, this wasn't what he signed up for. He was a thief, a classy one at that. He stole things and made a profit from it. That's what he did. When he signed up with Cinder, he knew that he would have to get his hands dirty eventually and he was…okay with it. It went against his principles a bit, but hey, you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs, right?

What Alain was doing was suicide and definitely bad for business. He thought he'd just cause some problems and that was it. No, the damn fool killed an entire town…for kicks even! He just laughed, gleefully at that. The White Fang were afraid of him and for good reason – who wouldn't be. But they were more afraid of disobeying that monster.

What makes thing worst is that Cinder took the kids and ran. He wasn't a fool; she recognized the dangers immediately and did the smart thing. Now he was stuck with the bastard.

'_Ozpin said I sucked at gambling, and boy did I crap out on this hand,' _Roman thought annoyed. His thoughts were interrupted when a man entered his office. He knew this man exclusively as the leader of the White Fang – Adam Taurus.

"Oh goody," Roman grumbled. "What is it, Adam? Did he kill Perry? God I hope not, I like Perry."

"Everyone likes Perry," Adam said amused. "But that's not why I came here. Word is that he hired some mercenaries to help him with his war."

"Oh god…who did he hire?"

"A group called the Einherjar Knights."

"Oh great, not them," Roman groaned. "Adam, when this is all over, I'm going to retire. I'm not doing this anymore."

::::

**The next few days for me were quite annoying. It seems my speech had done more than rally my peers against a common enemy.**

**It had solidified a position of power I did not expect – as they began referring to me as General Arc, the man who will lead them against the darkness.**

**I can't say I'm not flattered. I was so wrapped up in the moment that I did not realize the effect my words had.**

**The problem was that they kept bothering on how to train, or what should they learn, or even if I would train and spar with them; sending messages to me on my Scroll at all hours of the night.**

**I applaud their tenacity and while I am impressed by their devotion to the cause, I am but a man of simple pleasures.**

**Sure I was now devoted to five strong and beautiful ladies, and somehow found myself the leader of a decent size army of about one-hundred-and-sixty huntsmen and huntresses, I included, but I loved sleeping. It had its purposes, like rejuvenating my strength, and kept me healthy. And the beds here are simply amazing.**

**Still…I need to do something about this. I haven't heard anything from Ozpin, but I have seen the other four professors helping students out. **

**I think it's time to step up and lead them like they expect me to…**

…**After a few hours more sleep of course.**

**::::**

"Is everyone here?" Jaune asked as he looked into the rows of seats of the classroom he commandeered.

"All forty team leaders are here and accounted for," Ruby said from his right.

"Alright let's get started," Jaune said getting their attention. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I called you all here for two reasons, one purely selfish and the other a serious legit matter that both coincide with each other." He looked to see if they were paying attention. "I like my sleep, and it annoys me when I have to wake up in the middle of the night to say no to the seventy spar requests. You all began calling me a General; the defacto leader of Beacon Academy, and I decided it's time I began acting like it."

He paused to gather his thoughts. "As it stand, we have a small army of a hundred and sixty strong; some of the most talented hunters in the world right now, and we need to focus our talents towards getting stronger. So, today, we'll be electing what I like to call Year Commanders; individuals from each year who will oversee their year: first year will deal with first years, second year will deal with second years and so forth."

"Now I'm probably going to be elected to be the First Year Representative, because that's how unlucky I am," Jaune joked causing the room to laugh at little. "But I want this to be a fair selection. The leaders will coordinate with each other, and figure out how to effectively strengthen our forces. On each of your desks is a ballot. Write down your selection and toss it in these fabulously color coordinated boxes…" Jaune looked at them. Then at Ruby. "Weiss?"

"Weiss."

"Figured," Jaune sighed. "You may begin."

The entire thing took a little less than ten minutes. Jaune excluded himself from the vote because he wouldn't vote for anyone else but himself. Unfair to the others, but they understood his reasoning: he didn't want to hurt anyone if they ran into Alain out there.

"Alright, so I'm going to look through the votes quickly." Jaune announced. "Why don't you all break for lunch and in thirty minutes come back?" He heard murmurs of agreement and soon, he was left alone in the room. "You know," Jaune commented. "If you wanted to talk with me, you should've come to me directly."

"You are as good as they claim," a sensual voice said as three individuals appeared from out of nowhere.

"Advance Aura Cloaking Magic," Jaune said impressed. "As expected from you, Cinder Fall, Team Glacier's Witch of the West."

"Hmm…you do know your history," Cinder replied just as impressed.

"I'm impressed a not widely known criminal like yourself got into Beacon," Jaune said getting into the ballots. "So who are these two? Apprentices?"

"You could say that," She moved closer and sat on his desk. "The gray haired boy is Mercury Black and the beautiful jade-haired girl is Emerald Sustrai." They both nodded. "Tell me; is Emerald to your liking?" She mused.

Jaune looked up to see a slightly blushing Emerald. She looked like she was torn between being embarrassed and wanting to yell at Cinder. "She's beautiful, that's no doubt. Her alluring red eyes and contrasting skin and hair color gives her an exotic look not seen very often," Jaune appraised as said girl blushed harder. "But sadly, my heart lies elsewhere and I don't have the luxury to get to know her better. Does Ozpin know you're around?"

"He and I talked, and we came to a very…reluctant truce," Cinder explained. "As much as I would like to get back to the status quo, that cousin of yours makes things harder for everyone. So I offered my services once more to Beacon to teach Dust Magic."

Jaune snorted, "How did Ms. Goodwitch take it?"

"Oh she was livid," Cinder replied amused. "She glared at me for a full thirty minutes without saying a word."

Jaune chuckled, then looked at Mercury and Emerald, the former looking bored, and the latter still trying to get her blush under control. "What about you two?"

"We were told to work alongside you, wonder boy," Mercury commented.

"Joy, keep it up, and I might take you out to dinner before the night is over," Jaune commented back. "I have no problem with this if Ozpin doesn't, and I'm pretty sure he's somewhere drinking his coffee looking smug, so he's not worried. What I want to know is this." He stared at the two intently. "Will you two follow my orders to the letter? Like I told the student body, if you get in my way, I will end you."

Both Mercury and Emerald flinched at his tone and cold blue eyes. "Heh…we'll follow your orders, no problem right?" Mercury commented looking at Emerald.

"No problems here," She replied nervously.

"Good," Jaune said sighing. "You two stick around for a bit. Cinder," Jaune turned to look at the woman to see her gone again. "…that's going to get REAL annoying REALLY quickly…" he muttered. Emerald smiled and Mercury chuckled, used to Cinder doing that.

Jaune struck up a quick conversation with them, asking about their skills, weapons, and the like. Emerald was actually surprised how down to Earth Jaune was. Alain left a very negative impression on her, and she actually enjoyed his attitude and how respectful he was of her skills. Mercury merely grunted. He didn't really want to get all buddy-buddy with a good guy like Jaune but he couldn't help but to respect his fellow teen's drive and goal. As soon as Alain was dead and gone, Mercury planned on getting out of Vale.

As they talked, the team leaders came back. Ruby quickly moved to his side, holding a bag. "Hey, I brought you back something since you were here working."

"Thanks Ruby," Jaune said with a smile. She giggled and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"No problem, it's what girlfriends do." Ruby replied with a smile. She noted the two new people in the room. "Who are you two?"

"This is Mercury and Emerald, part of three freelancers that Ozpin allowed to join our fight," Jaune quickly explained. "Their leader will be teaching students Dust Magic as she highly proficient."

"How good is she?" A random third year student asked.

"She's Glynda Goodwitch's partner from when they went to Beacon," Jaune answered. "She just that good," Jaune opened the bag and took out a sandwich. He quickly ate it as he needed to keep things moving. "That was good…alright. So I went through the Ballots, and who you all chose as Year Representatives. For First Year Representative…me." Jaune deadpanned as the first years chuckled nervously. "Seriously, you try to be fair…" he muttered annoyed. "For the Second Year Representative…Nilima Saxena."

Nilima was a dark skinned huntress who hailed from Vacuo. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. Her combat clothes consisted of a red and yellow salwar kameez that had been modified with Kevlar to further protect her from blows. Jaune had seen her fighting style, as she uses a pair of modified scimitars that allowed her to cast Dust Magic and she was highly acrobatic. She was the team leader of Team Nier, one of the stronger teams in the Second Year.

"I won't let you or our allies down, General," Nilima said softly.

"Don't worry and that go to all of you as well." Jaune said with a smile. "We want to win, but we also want to live, so if you or your team gets way over your heads, please pull them out." He could see the smiles on many of the people faces. "The Third Year Representative is Coco…why did I not see this coming."

"Maybe because we hang out a lot due to your cousin?" Coco commented just as confused.

"Right…the Fourth Year Representative is Jeremija Volkov."

Jerejima was a tall, musclebound Wolf Faunus with black hair and wolf ears, storm blue eyes. He wore black military clothes with blue highlights and trims and black combat boots. Jerejima was rumored to be the strongest student in Beacon, period. In fact, there was a rumor that the blue trim on his clothes was actually Dust sewn in to limit his strength. Nobody has ever seen him fight with a weapon, as he prefers his fist, and his Semblance was simply known as "Iron Body". Nobody messed it Jerejima and his team, Team Justice.

"I am happy to be of service, comrade Arc." Jerejima said politely in his thick accent. "Together, we shall send this usurper of peace screaming to into the void."

"Wow, I really want to make a sexual comment about that, but I can't think of a good one," Mercury commented, causing the room to look at him. "And that…disturbs me."

Jaune chuckled. "Well if you ever figure out a good one, tell me it."

"Now that we have our representatives, what shall we do?" Coco asked.

"Convene with your year; see who needs what training, and what everyone is good at. Make a list, and check it twice."

"Just to see who's been naughty or nice?" Nilima joked questioningly.

"Have you been naughty Jaune?" Emerald asked teasingly.

"Nope!" Jaune said cheerfully. "Jaune is a good boy!"

Somehow that statement disturbed them all than it should.

::::

Alain looked at the lone man who joined him, Roman, and Adam in the briefing room. Said man dressed like a punk rocker. He had green hair, done up in a Mohawk, and wore a mask over his face, that gave him the appearance of vulture Grimm.

"Greetins' and salutations, Master Alain," the man said with a bow.

"Vulturus Rex," Alain greeted. "Where are the others?"

"They're finishin up some jobs dey took prior to you callin' us, Master. I was in the area already and I brought ya little present." Vulturus said with a grin.

"Oh?" Alain question amused.

"I heard about the job, yea? And thought to myself "how can I contribute to the ensuring carnage"? And I den I had idea."

"Do tell," Alain purred.

"I went an picked up one of those corrupt council members that usually hired us to do their dirty work, and kidnap the wanker. He's hogtied in the base right now, and I wanted to do a little…experiment yeah?"

"What kind of experiment?" Adam questioned, talking for the first time.

Vulturus grinned.

::::

"So how did the meeting go?" Weiss asked as they all sat down for dinner.

"It went better than I expected," Jaune admitted with a smile. "Hopefully I'll be getting more sleep tonight."

"Was it really that bad?" Ruby questioned. He said something during the meeting, but she thought he was joking

"W-Well," Pyrrha began…

_Flashback_

_Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora woke up, startled by the sound of something flying hitting the far wall._

"_Je le jure, je vais terminer chacun d'entre eux si ils me gardent messagerie pendant que je dors! (I swear, I will end each and every one of them if they keep messaging me while I sleep!)" Jaune shouted frustrated._

_Apparently he chucked his Scroll across the room._

_End Flashback._

"We found out that Jaune slips into full French when he's tired and frustrated," Ren commented amused.

"Well you would be too if your scroll didn't keep going off every six seconds," Jaune shot back.

The others at the table laughed nervously. They all silently reminded themselves never to interrupt Jaune's sleep unless it was an emergency.

Suddenly the displays fire up once more on their own. The last time they did that..

"**Go~od evening Vale,"** they watched as a man, dressed in punk rocker clothes, wearing Grimm mask. He had a guitar in his hands, and anyone who made a weapon could tell it wasn't a normal guitar. **"And welcome to another special Alain's Scientific Experiment, brought to you by Master Alain, the White Fang, and Romain."**

"**Its. Roman. Get it right you philistine."** They heard a man say off screen.

"**Jeez, don't get your nickers twisted, mate, I was just making it rhyme,"** the man said. **"Anyways, faithful viewers, I am Vulturus, part of the Einherjar Knights, Master Alain's top mercs! And today on Alain's Scientific Experiment, we have a very special guest." **He moved to the side to show a man stripped down to his tank-top and boxers, looking very beaten and tortured. **"State your name, citizen!"**

"**Geh…go to hell…you mosnters…" **the man grunted out in pain.

"**Aww, you're ruining my fun…"** Vulturus whined. **"Well this fine fellow here is Councilman Bronzewing."**

Most of the first years quickly looked towards Team Cardinal to see Dove being held back by Cardin, Lark, and Sky. "Those bastards! They got my father!" Dove shouted angrily.

"**And we have him here because he has committed some very harsh crimes during his tenure,"** Vulturus said shaking his head. **"To date, he has ordered several hits on notable members of the Faunus Community, to…how did he say?"** He pulled out a paper. **"Ah yes. "To stem back the pest problem that plagues our country"." **Vulturus crumbled the paper and bounced it off the coucilman's head. **"Not cool dude. Some of the hottest babes in the world are Faunus. What are you, gay?"**

"**You know, I don't think his sexual orientation had anything to do with his…"** Roman trailed off. **"You know, why am I even entertaining this conversation?"**

"**For Science!"** Vulturus announced. **"Now for the scientific question of today, how loud does a sound wave have to be to cause a man's head to explode?"** Vulturus turned to the camera. **"Let's find out!"** he said cheerfully.

Everyone had a look of horror on their face. They were going to execute Dove's father, live, with sound?

"**Now kiddies, before we begin,"** Vulturus said seriously. **"We here at the Alain Scientific Show are trained professionals…probably, and what we're about to do should not be imitated it. Don't try this at home. And just for your safety, will cut the sound of the video."** He put on a pair of headphones. **"Alright, we're good to go."**

The sound went out as the man began playing his guitar. They watched in horror as while Vulturus played his guitar, Councilman Bronzewing slowly winced in pain. After a few more moments, his ears, nose, and eyes began to leak blood. Soon he looked like he was screaming in pain...and then…

The camera was covered in a red shower of gore as his head exploded.

Dove fell to his knees…"No…father…" he whispered, tears falling from his eyes. Ruby had ducked into her sisters arms while Nora did the same to Ren. Weiss looked absolutely horrified, as did the majority of the students there.

Something wiped off the camera as it showed the headless Councilman, and a blood covered Vulturus.

"**Wasn't that exciting?"** He asked with a grin on his face. **"His head exploded at two-hundred and forty decibels!"**

"…**ew…"** Roman muttered off screen.

"**Aww suck it up, ya wanker,"** Vulturus shot at him. **"Now we know what's on the Councilman's mind!"** he finished his one liner with a cackle.

"**You wanna role credits there, Castello? I'd like to take a shower…and drink a lot of alcohol."**

"**Sure, sure!"** Vulturus said amused. **"You kiddies better watch out! We're going to take Vale by storm!"**

That was all that was needed to be said as the screen went black. Nobody finish their dinner that night.

**End of Chapter 8**


	10. Chapter 8-5

**Mightier Than The Sword**

**Chapter 8.5 – RWBY World**

Hello everyone, Barzu here.

While I was working on Chapter Nine, I decided to delve into a lot more RWBY Fanficiton, both on my pc and on my phone, and one thing I realized after reading some really well written stuff that not a lot of writers ignore one of the more interesting aspects of RWBY characters – their nationalities.

Now you're probably thinking "Barzu, why aren't you working on Chapter Nine, and doing this"? Short Answer, a bit of writers block.

To be honest, the Pre-war Arc is coming to a close, and the full thing is coming up next.

But I decided to write this as a way to stretch my creative muscles in a more academic way. It's not an Authors Note, but more of a bit of knowledge mixed in with a little prose.

Now, the one thing you've probably noticed about MTTS, is my love of nationalities.

Case in point: Jaune.

Jaune Arc is basically male expy of Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans as she is called. Joan was French and as such I made Jaune French as well. I like it because it gives him another dimension to his character.

Having him speak French whenever he's stressed or frustrated made sense to me and it seems like you guys like it as well.

But what about the other characters?

Jaune's Partner, Pyrrha Nikos is obviously Greek. Her armor, weapon style, and even how she speaks (not her accent, but rather how she words things) hints to a deep Grecko-Roman heritage.

Nora Valkyrie, an obvious expy of Thor, is Nordic. While her personality per-say does not reflect it (as she is way too hyper), it does remind me of how warriors of Valhalla would merrily party before their annual battles.

Lie Ren and Yang Xiao Long names are Mandarin in descent. Lie Ren, being an expy of Fa Mulan, is much more calm and reserved, how a Chinese Noble would act. In fact, he reminds me of Zhuge Liang or Kong Ming if you know your history or play a lot of Dynasty Warriors.

Yang Xiao Long, on the other hand, is confident, boisterous, reminding me of Sun Ce, or the little conqueror. It doesn't help that her name literally translates to "Little Sun Dragon".

Weiss Schnee is German, and her personality shows it. Rigid, disciplined, and ambitious…not to say Germans are always ambitious, or rigid, or discipline. She reminds me a lot of the media classification of a typical German. Added to the fact that she's practically royalty…

Blake Belladonna's last name is Italian in root, her name literally meaning "Pretty Woman". Having her identify and being able to translate Italian works exactly how Jaune would be able to speak and read French.

Finally, not a lot of people would have realized this, but Ruby is Norman. For those who don't know, Norman is what you call people from Normandy. Shocked? Surprised? I was too when I did my research, but the Normans, which were Vikings of all things, held the first instance of it being used as a last name.

There are others, like how Velvet is actually Roman, as Scarlatina is Latin in origin; Emerald is a Spaniard, Yatsuhashi is Japanese, Sun Wukong is Chinese as well…

Even some of my OCs has other nationalities that I don't think people pay too much attention.

All of Jaune's known family for good or bad, are French in descent.

Nilima Saxema is Hindu, and Jerajima Volkov is painfully Russian.

Long story short, the cast in RWBY is quite diverse and I encourage all of my fellow writers to embrace that diversity!

Thank you for reading Mightier Than The Sword. Chapter Nine will probably a little later after this little bonus goes up.

Also, I finally realized my desire and made a TVtropes page for this story! Feel free to visit it, and add to it.

I love writing this story as much as you guys love reading it, and I want to give you extra content.


	11. Chapter 9

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_The thing about Canon vs Fanfiction is that Fanfiction is automatically different from the original content that you can mold it into something different. Just because Remnant isn't like our planet, doesn't mean Nationalities and Languages don't exist. _

_It's like how a certain race in World of Warcraft is clearly Jamaican, and it hurts my soul._

_You know the one._

_Anyways, you all are under the impression that I am a good writer. Quit that. I'm a lackluster writer! I'm still learning and I make mistakes! _

_I also forgot, you can find the link to the TvTrope Page on my profile._

_And I also forgot that the last couple of chapters have been either quotes or songs and I need to acknowledge them:_

_Chapter 6 – Alfred's Dialogue about the Joker from the Dark Knight_

_Chapter 7 – Time to Say Goodbye; RWBY season 2 Opening_

_Chapter 8 – Drop the World; Lil Wayne ft. Eminem_

_Chapter 9 – Before My Body is Dry; Kill la Kill Ost_

"**Get ready to fight, now be prepared, they're trying to break your…"**

**Chapter 9 – Heart**

**Another live execution by the enemy, this time of a corrupt Councilman, his dirty secrets aired to all the citizens of Vale and to the world.**

**It was a show of force and a psychological triumph. The moral of my troops were at an all-time low.**

**The enemy showed us that they could strike at us, no matter where we are, no matter who we are.**

**I've grown tired of this; tired of waiting. They're hiding. I can tell.**

**Other than the public execution of Councilman Bronzewing, they haven't made a single move yet.**

**Something is going on, I can feel it.**

**::::**

It was nearing midnight and Jaune was standing on the roof of the school, looking out at the city. His fist, clenched in anger, as he remembered the look on Dove's face after the broadcast was over.

His mind and his heart…were shattered.

Anyone could have seen it; Dove loved his father, for better or worst. He respected that man, despite his less than noble dealings.

"Jaune." A voice called out to him.

"Cardin." Said teen stood next to him, not making eye contact. "How's Dove?"

"He's…" Cardin sighed. "I sent him home, and asked Lark and Russel to look after him, you know? Just to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"I see…"

"My team is all but disbanded now…"

"You did a good thing, Cardin. I respect your decision." Jaune told him. "You put your team before yourself; something we as leaders have to learn the hard way…"

"Have you ever…?"

"You remember I did."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence between the two.

"We'll get them," Jaune finally said after a while. "For Dove, for you, for everyone they hurt."

"And what if we can't?" Cardin asked angrily, turning to Jaune with a glare. Jaune looked back at Cardin, his eyes cold, empty.

"If we can't, I will," Jaune replied. "I won't give up, even if I have to become a monster, I'll fight the odds." Jaune said nothing more as he turned to leave.

"Jaune," said boy stopped. "I may have a hunch where they might be hiding." When Jaune didn't move, Cardin continued. "I think Loamstol is the key to finding them."

"I'll go research it then," Jaune commented. "See ya Cardin."

"See ya…vomit-boy."

"BON DIEU! Will you people give me a different nickname?!"

Cardin chuckled, feeling way better than he did before. _'Maybe we might make it with you as our leader, Jauney-boy.'_

::::

Jaune made it back to his dorm, his mind running faster than Ruby using her Semblance. The Loamstol Massacre; it has only been a week since it happened and its wounds was still fresh in his mind. But Cardin's hunch sparked something within his mind. Soon a question that he had readily discarded made itself known within his mind:

Why did Alain attack Loamstol?

At first, Jaune would admit, he believed that Alain did it because the man was twisted and evil and probably got off on that sort of thing. He'd be the first to admit – Arc males had weird fetishes. His current one was the School girl look. He sighed. He missed the days of yore where he didn't have to lead an army and just had to go to school. All his princesses in their school girl outfits always cheered him up. A part of his mind wondered what Emerald would look like in Beacon Academy's outfit.

He quickly discarded all of those thoughts. He was already in a relationship with five beautiful women, he did not need to make it six, and he feared what they would do if he even entertained that thought.

His beloveds were scary. He loved them, but he also had a healthy fear of them.

"Jaune..."

Pyrrha was already a force of Nature, he reasoned. Ruby was quick, agile, and deadly with her scythe.

"Jaune."

Then there was Weiss. That woman could do things with Dust and her Semblance that was downright scary. And don't get him started on Yang. He liked his face and organs not bashed in.

"JAUNE."

Blake was even deadlier; His beloved Shade was stealthy, _very _stealthy. He wouldn't even see it coming if he somehow got her ire. And even if, a big if, they were in agreement, and he knew the Green haired beauty enough, he'd have to convince her.

Jaune's thoughts were derailed as a pair of soft lips met his own. He blinked as he realized Weiss was kissing him. She pulled away with a small blush on her face. "About time, you dork," She said amused. "You were just standing there with weird look on your face."

"I was?" Seeing her nod, he chuckled. "Sorry, I had…something on my mind, and then a stray thought derailed it."

"I see," Weiss looked up at him. "And what were you thinking about?"

"Ah well, I just got done talking with Cardin," he explained. "He had Lark and Russel take Dove home to his family. Team Cardinal has unofficially disbanded."

"That's...horrible," She murmured sadly, and she meant it. Your Team at Beacon was like family. You did almost everything together. She couldn't imagine what Cardin was going through.

"Yeah…but he'll live I guess," Jaune sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Then he told me an idea he had about the enemy and I was on my way to research it in the library."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Weiss asked rhetorically as she grabbed his hand and began leading him to the Library. "I'll help you out."

"Thanks Snow Angel," Jaune thanked with a smile.

"Anytime, my Knight."

::::

Emerald would be the first to admit that she wasn't easily thrown off by people. She was a thief by trade, and she stole from a lot of weird people before. But what Yang had just said to her was simply out of left field.

"What do you think of Jaune?" It was an innocent question, to be sure, but the leer on Yang's face said otherwise.

"He's…alright I guess," Emerald replied unsure. What was she supposed to say? "He can be a little scary, but playful…I really didn't get to know him very well when I met him the other day."

Pyrrha, Ruby, Velvet, and Blake watched amused as Yang's leer got stronger. "Don't you think he looks…I don't know, handsome?"

Emerald blushed a little, "H-he's good looking, I'm not going to deny that, but isn't he dating Ruby?"

"He's also dating Yang, Pyrrha, Blake, and Weiss," Velvet commented as Emerald's eyes widen.

"What is he, a womanizer?" She looked a little angry. She had really liked his compliments to her looks.

"Not at all," Pyrrha replied with an assuring smile. "He's a perfect gentleman. We decided to share him after we learned about his massive capacity to love. You see…Ruby found what essentially his Autobiography about his life, and we read it. We thought we knew him very well…" Pyrrha slowly began to frown.

"You guys got to Read an Arc Codex?!" Velvet asked shocked. "And he wasn't mad at you about it?"

"He wanted to, he admitted it himself," Ruby replied. "But…"

"He loved you all too much," Velvet answered with a smile. "You're very lucky that he did. Reading an Arc Codex without permission from said Arc or the family head…let's just say if Jaune didn't love you all so much, he would have to kill you." Their eyes widen at that thought. "Don't worry though…I don't think Jaune would've done it even if you gals were just friends with him. Jaune is just that nice."

"So this Codex thing of his is important?" Emerald asked confused.

"Its how the Arc Family teaches their descendants," Velvet explained. "I would explain more, but that'll be giving away family secrets."

"Enough about that, I want to know what Emerald here thinks of our boy toy," Yang said with a grin.

"What's there to say? When I first met him, he didn't seem like the type who'd be in an army let alone lead one. He was very…" Emerald began blushing again. "Poetic with his words when he complimented my looks…though even with your…err…blessings I guess? He said himself; he didn't have that much time to get to know me, and the same is for me."

"Then let's make time," Ruby said with a grin.

"Wait, are you two serious?" Blake asked with a frown. "We barely get to see him as is, and you're trying to add more women to his harem?"

"I just think he needs more support," Ruby explained. "He's always so stressed, with the impending war and his goal to defeat Alain. He's…he's slowly killing himself Blake."

"I understand that Ruby," Blake replied softly. "I don't like it any more than you do. But getting him another girlfriend won't help him at all."

"What can we do?" Yang asked, feeling bad.

"Get stronger," Emerald answered, causing the girls to look at her. "You want to help him? Fight alongside him. It's as simple as that."

"We are…but until we have a clear mission, all we can do is train," Pyrrha commented.

The room got quiet at that. The waiting was getting to them; that much was certain. They could only imagine the stress Jaune was going though.

::::

Weiss watched her boyfriend as he poured over volumes of information at one of the many computers in the library. She yawned as she looked out the window and was surprised to see the sun slowly rising through the windows. He didn't sleep that night, too engrossed with his research.

"Jaune…you need rest," She said softly. "The sun is rising."

Jaune sighed and looked at Weiss with a tired smile. "I know…but…I need to do something. I at least owe it to Dove to try, you know? Dove, Cardin, and the others who lost people in the Loamstol Massacre…"

"I understand," she replied with a smile. "But you're no good to anyone if you don't sleep."

"I know…it's just that…I feel like I'm missing something important, something so crucial." Jaune replied. "Dust knows if we don't do something someone else will…" Jaune tapered off. His eyes slowly widen as his mind suddenly went into overdrive. "Dust…Dust that's it! That's the missing link!" He shot out of his seat. "Ah, how could I be so blind? It was sitting right there in front of us!"

"Jaune! Calm down!" Weiss said standing up as well. She placed a hand on his shoulder. Jaune took a deep breath. "Good, now explain."

"Alain is working with Roman Torchwick and The White Fang, right? What were Roman and the Fang doing nearly a month ago?"

"They were stealing Dust," Weiss explained. "Blake and a few others stopped them from stealing a large amount of it that was being shipped by my family's company."

"Right," Jaune said nodding, remembering that story. "And I don't think they've stopped."

"What do you mean?" Weiss questioned, her eyes narrowing

"Loamstol," Jaune began. "Was originally a Mining Town, as it was over a very rich deposit of unrefined Dust. In fact, Loamstol still has a large quantity of Dust, Dust stores, and an old abandoned Mining Facility, still owned by your family. It wasn't in use, but still maintained by-"

"The citizens of Loamstol as an attraction!" Weiss concluded.

"Correct!" Jaune said with a smile. "That's why Alain targeted the city. Kill the citizens, strip the Dust Stores clean, and hide out in the Mining Facility. The Vale Military cleaned up the town, not paying any mind to the robbed stores, and left, giving them a nice base of operations!"

"So you're saying that they went to Loamstol…"

"And never left," Jaune finished with a vicious grin. "And now need to confirm it."

"How?" Weiss asked.

"A little recon."

::::

After a few hours of sleep, Jaune called a meeting with the staff, and the commanders. All of them were curious to what Jaune wanted to talk to them about. As they looked at the young first year, they could see the bags underneath his eyes, a steadfast reminder that he haven't been sleeping well.

"Thank you for taking the time to listen to what I have to say," Jaune began.

"It's no trouble at all, my boy. We're all in this together, after all." Port said cheerfully.

"So, Mr. Arc," Ozpin said, his hand steepled in front of his face. "Why have you called this meeting?"

"After talking with Cardin, and doing a bit of research, I have a reasonable guess where Alain and his men are currently holding up."

"How do you know?" Cinder asked confused. She had told Ozpin where she had last seen them and the search turned up blank.

"Because I believe we forgot the most important aspect of war," Jaune replied. "Misdirection."

"Explain," Glynda said frowning.

"A famous general once said, "All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near"," Jaune quoted.

"The Art of War," Oobleck commented impressed. "But how does that lead us to our enemy?"

"We know where they might be," Jaune said producing a holo-map. "Here."

"Wait," Glynda said frowning. "This is a map of Loamstol."

"Exactly. Quick geographical history lesson; what was Loamstol known for about sixty years ago?" Jaune asked the group.

"They were known for their Dust Mines," James said frowning. "About sixty years ago, there was a large deposit of Dust found not too far from the city. The Schnee Dust Company capitalized on this and built a Mining Facility on the edge of town. It was abandoned thirty years ago."

Cinder's eyes widen. "Loamstol is known for their Dust! How did I miss that?!"

"Believe me Cinder, we all did," Jaune said with a grin. Seeing the confusion on their faces, Jaune elaborated. "Alain is working with Roman Torchwick and the White Fang who, up until Alain got involved, were stealing Dust from all over the kingdom. Who's to say they haven't stopped. Alain executes the citizens of Loamstol, and from the ruins, they rob every single Dust shop and warehouse in town, and hold up in the Abandoned Mining Facility while the Vale Military just clean up the bodies, without even considering another motive. Why? Because Alain shocked us with is brutality!"

"That makes him even more dangerous then," Ozpin commented.

"It makes him predictable," Jaune corrected. "He might have the mind of an military genius, but he's also vain, and psychotic. We can capitalize on this."

"What do you suggest?" Ozpin questioned.

"We need to confirm my theory first," Jaune announced. "That's why I'm suggesting a team of four to scout the area around the Facility."

Ozpin hummed while tapping his fingers against his knuckles. "Who are you taking with you?"

"You know me well," Jaune replied with a grin.

"Ozpin, you can't be seriously considering this. As it stands, all of this is merely conjecture." Glynda protested

"And that's more than what our combined contacts have been able to turn up," Cinder retorted.

"As it stands, we need to end this situation quickly before it gets worst," Ozpin agreed.

"I'll be going with Blake Belladonna, Emerald Sustrai, and Fox. All of them have the skills needed for a stealth/recon mission. I'm going because if we find any White Fang members…someone has to _interrogate _them." Everyone present tried to suppress the shiver at how he said that.

"How shall we handle getting you four there?" Ozpin questioned.

"There is a river that runs near and around the Facility," Jaune said motioning to the map. "We can go by boat, at night. We can dock here, on the shore, about ten clicks from the facility. That'll be a safe distance."

"…Very well. I shall make arrangements," Ozpin said with a smirk. "Go ahead and inform your temporary teammates. Ms. Coco, Ms. Saxema, and Mr. Volkov please stay for a bit." Jaune eyed Ozpin for a minute before leaving the room. "Now that he's gone, we can begin planning a contingency plan. I know war as well and no plan survives the first encounter."

**End of Chapter 9**


	12. Chapter 10

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_I changed the rating of the story from T to M; a better safe than sorry thing now that I've seriously got into the swing of things. To be honest, it should've been switched when Alain extra ordered crispy'd the citizens of Loamstol at least._

_I have a feeling that Chapter 9 was another one of those chapters that didn't have much of an impact; Which is shouldn't in theory – it's a precursor to something much more epic…I think._

_That being said, the reason why Jaune was thinking about Emerald in that way because Cinder put that possibility in his mind. She knows that Arcs can have multiple women, and she was using Emerald as a peace offering to get him to trust her. Of course Emerald had no clue she was, and Jaune waved it off so it was a moot point._

_Emerald is exotic, and anyone with half a brain can see it._

_Jaune in that chapter was fun to write, in any case. I think I like the thought of a character like Jaune having a mini freak out over the thought of displeasing or angering his ladies. _

_And Both Ruby, Blake, and Emerald were right – Jaune tend to obsess over any problems he has (case it point, watch Jaunedice and Forever Fall over again) and tend to be stubborn about changing, Blake was right in the regards that Jaune barely spends times with him because of Ruby's reasoning, and Emerald was right that they need to stand by him and go to him instead of waiting._

_That was also the first time, since the book Arc that I tried to focus the attention on the girls only. I feel as if I failed in that regard._

_Should I make a forums or something? A lot of you have questions about my stories and while I encourage that you all ask them, I think having a forum and open discussion about it could help. I would be willing to answer any questions about the story or about my interpretations about the RWBY universe or any universe in the regard._

_And I'd also want to ask something of the other RWBY Fanfic writers out there:_

_Have you ever looked at the favorites of your favorite writer and found yourself in there? I did a couple of times and honestly I'm flattered. I read a lot of fanfics, from those who are far better than me in terms of writing, and I am shocked that most of you liked my meager offering to the fandom._

_In any event, this chapter's song title is from the Rockman X8 OST – Wild Fang_

"**There is a dormant "ferity" deep down in everyone's heart. At times you must unchain it and let your blood…"**

**Chapter 10 – Flow**

A thought occurred to Jaune as he made it back to the First Year Dormitory, a thought so crippling that he actually slowed his hurried gait to a somber stroll. He was about to embark on a mission, his first mission, that would determine the tone of the impending war. He was about to inform one of his girlfriends that she'll be coming with him on this mission, and the thought of putting her endanger scared him. When he pitched the idea to the staff, he was all for it, but now...

Now he was scared. He was scared that she might get hurt, that _they _might get hurt. It was foolish to think they wouldn't. He saw the looks in their eyes, their beautiful eyes, and they told him that they'll be by his side. A smile slowly grew on his face. A part of him realized that he was worrying over nothing. But that side was viciously stamped out by the cold truth of reality; anything could go wrong on a mission.

He shook his head as he grew closer to Team Ruby's dorm room. He can't be thinking that, not like this, especially not after falling in love with them. As much as his heart ached at the thought of them getting hurt, he couldn't hold them back nor hold their hands. They were Huntresses, trained professionals, and no stranger to danger.

He would endure. That's what an Arc did, he reasoned. They did not back down, nor did they falter, but they endured. He was stronger than that. He needed to be stronger than that. He steeled himself; he needed to act normal or they'll notice, and if they notice, they'd swarm him like sharks when they smell blood in the water.

He snorted as he knocked on the door. His beautiful shark princesses…

A smile grew on his face; all his negative thoughts vanished as he saw the smiling face of Ruby Rose.

"Hey Jaune," She greeted with a smile.

"Hey Ruby, may I come in?" She nodded as she allowed him to enter. Upon entering, he was surprised to see the room slightly empty. He could hear the shower running, signifying someone was using it.

"Where is everyone?" Jaune asked confused.

"Yang and Weiss went to go train with Pyrrha and Nora, and I was about to join them," Ruby explained. "Blake is taking a shower."

"Oh," Jaune said as a blush etched across his face. "Should I…leave then?"

"Nope, it should be fine," Ruby said amused by his reaction. "What's a little skinship between lovers?"

"That sounds like something Yang would say," Jaune remarked dryly.

"I'm learning," Ruby pouted. "Besides, you haven't really been spending time with us lately…" She was surprised when Jaune pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so sorry about that, Ruby…I've…I've been…"

"Busy?"

"A fool actually. A foolish fool who foolishly fools himself to think that his foolish actions aren't foolhardy," Ruby giggled as she returned the hug.

"We understand, Jaune, we really do," She said trying to assure him. "You want to stop that madman from hurting anyone else, and we respect that."

"I need to stop him," Jaune affirmed. "But that doesn't mean I shouldn't spend time and…" He took a sniff. "_Smell the roses._"

Ruby blushed at his flirtatious pun. She let go of him, amused and annoyed at the same time. "Now who's sounding like Yang?" They shared a quick laugh. "I'll see you later, Jaune." She grabbed his shoulders, and pulled him into a quick, chaste kiss. "Try to relax, alright?"

Jaune chuckled, "Yeah…I think I might do that today…"

"Good," She said nodding at him, and soon Jaune was left alone in their room. He moved over to Blake's bed and sat on it. He looked at her pillow, and noticed that there was a book sticking from underneath it. Curious, he picked up the book.

'_Ninjas in Love – Paradise Found?' _He scratched his head confused _'I never heard of a book like this before…'_ He shrugged and cracked it open, wondering what sort of book this was.

_Haruto looked at the shivering Ninata, her soft, pale skin shivering as he watched over her. They had made it to the island, safe from the storm, but Ninata was cold and wet from the storm and the wave that nearly killed them and destroyed their boat. The fire he had made was warm, but she kept shivering_

"_H-Haruto-kun," she whispered, shivering. "I-I'm too cold…I…I think I might die…"_

"_Don't worry Ninata-chan," Haruto said with a determined look on his face. Then his face turned hesitant. "I know a way to warm you up…but…"_

"_W-What is it?"_

"_W-well…to fight off the cold, we need to share body heat, it's the fastest way…" Haruto explained._

"_I-If it means being with you a little longer, I will." Ninata whispered. Even while shivering cold, Haruto was impressed by Ninata's resolve to live. No words were said as Haruto slowly undressed Ninata, taking off her wet clothes and only stopping to admire her shivering perky-_

This is the scene Blake came out of the bathroom to see: Her boyfriend, sitting on her bed, reading her romance novel, with a wide grin, and a blush on his face. She stared blankly as a perverted giggle escaped his lips and he was engrossed into her book. Blake was stuck between feeling amused and feeling mortified.

Another perverted giggle escaped Jaune's lips as he turned the page. His eyes widen slightly, and a little blood fell from his nose. "Jaune."

"Oh!" he quickly put the book back where he found it, "H-hey Bla-" his eyes widen as he noticed that Blake was only in her underwear. A little more blood fell from his nose and Blake giggled.

"I'm glad I have that effect on you," Blake said as she moved over to the slight catatonic Jaune and sat next to him. "So…what brings you here?"

"Y-You're not going to…"

"Get dressed?" Blake offered to the stuttering Jaune. She shook her head. "I'm comfortable like this, and I know you don't dislike this. Besides, what's a little skinship between lovers?"

"I see Yang is rubbing off on all of you," Jaune remarked has he chuckled at the absurdity of the situation. "Anyways…I came to tell you personally that we'll be having a mission in the near future together." Seeing her confused look on her face, he elaborated. "We're going to be investigating an area close to Loamstol. We believe that Alain and his crew are there."

"I see…" Blake said nodding. "And you said we, correct?"

"Yes, we."

"As in you and me?" She asked staring at him.

"Well…me, you, Emerald, and Fox, yes." Jaune replied slightly confused.

"On a mission that requires stealth." She commented.

"That's what Recon is," Jaune said still confused.

"You know that sounds redundant right? You on a stealth mission?" Blake had a smile on her face as she questioned this.

"I know it sounds weird," Jaune replied finally getting her line of questioning. "But I'll be the one having to interrogate anyone we come across."

"And by Interrogate-"

"I know how to make people talk, kitten," Jaune cut her off dryly. "But we don't have to worry about it. Ozpin will call us when the preparations are complete."

"And how long will that be?"

"Maybe two days, maybe three. There are a lot of detail that's going into this mission," He explained.

"Good, that means you can spend more time with us," Blake replied. Jaune nodded, but he couldn't hide the slight sorrow in his eyes. "We're not mad Jaune…we're just worried you might burn yourself out…"

"I know…but I can't help but feel like I was ignoring you all…"

"Well, you know what you can do to make it up to me?" Jaune shook his head negatively. "You can sleep with me."

"W-WHAT?"

"Not like that, you perv," She said amused. "You look tired, like you haven't been sleeping lately."

"Only a few cat naps here and there," he replied…then snorted. Blake rolled her eyes.

"Well take off your clothes and lie in bed with me, okay?"

Jaune nodded and soon he was in his boxers. Blake was surprised he had a pair, considering he almost always slept in his onesie. Seeing the surprised look he grinned. "I went into Vale a month ago and picked up a few dozen pair."

"Then why-"

"They're really cozy," Jaune answered amused. Blake smiled as she took her book and quickly put in a new hiding spot. Jaune slid into her bed, putting his back to the wall, and Blake got in after him, not bothering to put on her signature night gown. They both blushed at the feel of their skin touching each other, but their combined warmth slowly lulled them to sleep.

::::

"What?" Mercury gave his partner in crime, literally, a look that said that he didn't believe what she just told him. They were in the room that they shared with their boss Cinder.

"He's dating five girls and two of them, Yang and Ruby, tried to get me to date him as well," Emerald huffed annoyed. "It was bad enough when Cinder randomly put me on the spot, now those too…"

"Well despite how god damn lucky the guy is," Mercury began, not bothering to hide his jealousy. Seriously, five smoking hot babes and two of them were sisters? "Don't you find it odd that they are sharing him? I mean, what's so important about the guy, other than the fact he comes from a long line of warriors?"

"I could answer that," Both Emerald and Mercury glanced at Cinder, who suddenly appeared in their room. Seeing their nonchalant look at her sudden appearance, she pouted. "You take the fun out of doing that."

"It wasn't funny when you did it while I was in the bathroom," Mercury grumbled annoyed. "I mean, who does that to a guy when he's doing his business…"

Cinder giggled at his words, "In any event, I can tell you more about the Arc family heritage, if you wish."

Emerald and Mercury shared a look, and then they looked at Cinder. "Why not," Mercury answered for them.

Cinder sat on her bed and gave them a smirk. "Well…first thing you have to understand that Arc men are one the most dangerous men on the planet. They're fierce warriors and just as devoted to those they consider to their friends, allies, and lovers. They have a curse, an Aura Curse to be exact, that makes them crave…no lust for battle. You've seen how Alain acts."

"But Wonder-Boy doesn't act like that monster…in fact, he look well adjusted," Mercury pointed out.

"Tell me, do you remember back when I told Roman about the boy, where our informants found him?"

"The…Huntsmen Pit," Emerald answered as she did remember that tidbit of information.

"Well…according to Glynda, Jaune was restraining his lust for battle, to what extent, we don't know for sure. But according to Ozpin, when the boy cut loose on the packs of Beowolves they had there…" She stopped and shuddered. Ozpin had a picture of the end results of that battle, to show Jaune how much he was restraining. He kept that photo, and that was one of the key defining reasons why she entered this alliance with the man. "He slaughtered over forty-six Beowolves, alone I might add, and used their corpses as a make-shift throne to relax in after he was done."

Emerald and Mercury paled at those words. "I can't see it," Emerald said shaking her head. "I hung out with his girlfriend and his cousin…apparently, and the way they talked about Jaune…he's the nicest guy I have ever heard of."

"And that alone should tell you how much strength of will he has," Cinder told them. "He actively resists those urges, and Alain embraces them."

"It's like day and night," Mercury commented. "Well…I know whose side I'm staying on. I think I prefer Wonder-boy over his deranged cousin."

"Okay so we know about his curse, and how much he resists it, but what about the fact that he has multiple girlfriends and nobody has commented on it," Emerald pointed out.

"Mostly because Jaune is so busy, the only girl people know he's actively seeing is Ruby Rose. However, it's alright because of two known factors."

"And those are?" Mercury asked.

"One, its legal for an Male Arc to pursuit multiple females for an relationship, no matter how amoral it is, because of the second reason."

"The second reason?" Emerald asked nervously.

"Yes. Mutual affection weakens the curse, allowing an Arc to function properly. Jaune has had years suppressing it; adding to that is that those five girls actually care and love him to an extent. Because of this, he has been noted to be able to slip into his bloodlust and have control over his actions."

"Is that the reason why you asked him what he thought of me?" Emerald asked angrily.

"That was part of the reason," Cinder admitted. "The other reason was that I promised your mother you would be happy."

That caught Emerald off guard. "Wait…you knew my mother?"

"Of course I knew her, Emerald," Cinder replied. "After all, she was my teammate. Glynda Goodwitch, Lapis Sustrai, Cinder Fall, and Lie Rae…Team GLCR (Glacier)." She sighed, and had a smile on her face. "Those were the days…"

Emerald just looked at her boss in shock. She didn't know her late mother was a Huntress or the fact that Cinder knew her. "Wait, isn't there a boy named Lie Ren on Wonder-boys' team?" Mercury questioned.

"He looks just like his mother too," Cinder confirmed. "Even has her attitude…"

Emerald shook her head, "That doesn't excuse the fact that you were trying to get me a boyfriend; a boyfriend who has several girlfriends."

Cinder sighed. "Emerald, do you expect to be a thief your entire life?"

"No, but what does-"

"After all this is over, I'm staying here, at Beacon, to be a teacher," Cinder continued. "I had an ambition; and that ambition was derailed by a sociopath who wants to make a war. This was supposed to be my last job, and now, I can't think of dealing with people like Roman or Alain anymore."

"So you're giving up?" Mercury questioned.

"No, more like I want to live to see my best friend's daughter get married; the same girl that I see as one of my own," Cinder said looking directly at Emerald. "Whatever you plan on doing Emerald, I won't stop you. But your mother would've wanted you happy."

Emerald said nothing as tears fell from her eyes. Mercury said nothing as Cinder pulled the younger girl into a hug, to comfort her. He just simply left to give them their space.

::::

Ozpin said nothing as two men entered his office. The first man was a tall, bald, and dark skinned man. He wore an eye patch over his left eye, and his right green eye held mirth in it. He wore a black business suit, tie, and shoes, a white dress shirt, and black gloves. The second man was slightly shorter; he was as tall as Ozpin. He had blond hair and blue eyes. The man wore a blue shirt, and over that was a steel chest-plate. On his shoulders was white fur. He had on black pants and wore what looked like leather gloves and boots.

Both men looked slightly out of place, as one looked like a grizzled bouncer of a nightclub and the other looked like a knight straight out of lore.

"Sorry we're so late getting here, Ozzy," The blond hair man said cheerfully. "But I got lost on the road of-" the blond man winced as the bald man smacked him upside the head.

"None of that Ethan." the bald man said frowning.

"Come on Zvoni, I was trying to lighten up the mood," Ethan whined.

"As good as it to see that both of your antics haven't changed," Ozpin began amused. "It seems as if you came a tad bit too late." Both men eyes turned serious. "Ethan's son, Jaune, has already begun our first steps towards the enemy."

"Explain." Ethan demanded.

"After a bit of research on his part, he determined that the enemy is located near the first scene of the crime." Ozpin explained. "And thusly has proposed small recon mission before we make any more decisive movements. I agreed to his plan and began formulating my own, just in case. You should be proud Ethan, you son continues to inspire his troops here at Beacon."

"I'll always be proud of mon fils brillant," Ethan said calmly. "I just don't think he should be leading a war, not against these terrorists."

"It was his decision, Ethan," Ozpin told the man. "He rallied the student body in a rousing speech you would've been proud to hear, and promised them revenge and retribution for what Alain did in Loamstol."

"I see…" Ethan slumped over a bit. "He really has grown has he? Why did you call us then? Surely it's not because you want to rub Zvoni's head and make a wish." Zvonimir's eye twitched as he slapped Ethan in the back of the head…again. "Ow!"

"I want you two to help my staff train the students. You two are the best combat specialists I know –"

"Other than Glyndy and Cindy," Ethan retorted. "Speaking of which, where is old Cindy anyways?"

"She's around somewhere," Ozpin replied. "Last time I saw her was during the meeting earlier today."

"The gang is almost back together," Zvonimir murmured amused.

"Except for Lapis and Rae…Rae retired from being a huntress when she had Ren." Ozpin pointed out.

"We never did catch the bastard who knocked her up, did we?" Ethan questioned angrily.

"No…that man is still on the run," Ozpin grunted angry as well.

"In any case," Zvonimir said getting them back on topic. "I don't mind helping the little ones learn how to rage war."

"I'm too soft to fight in a war now anyways," Ethan agreed as well. "Being a teacher is just as good."

"Thank you, both of you," Ozpin told them.

"If Roman didn't go rogue he'd be here too," Ethan said nodding. "After all, Team Zero was the best at what they did…"

"Even if what they did wasn't very nice," Zvonimir finished with a grin.

Ozpin smiled as well. The gang really was getting back together again.

::::

The sun was setting on Beacon as Ruby, Weiss, and Yang made it back to their dorm room.

"Remind me never to spar with Nora," Yang groaned as she stretched. "That girl is dangerous."

"Only if you remind me not to spar with Pyrrha," Weiss said wincing. "She really did go all out on me. I didn't know she was that strong."

"We needed to go all out," Ruby told them as she prepared to open the door to the room. "We need to get stronger so we can help Jaune stop that guy."

"Speaking of our lovable idiot, I haven't seen him since this morning," Weiss commented. "He should be thankful that I stayed and kept him company into the wee hours of the morning."

"I'm sure he is," Ruby said as she opened the door. "He was smiling when he came by earlier."

"He came by?" Yang asked.

"Yeah, he didn't say why, though I did convince him to stay and wait for Blake to come out of the shower," Ruby said smirking.

"Honestly, you're starting to scare me," Weiss commented as they entered the room. "You're starting to act like…" Weiss suddenly stopped.

"Acting like what?" Ruby questioned only to be shushed by Weiss. She motioned both girls to enter the room quietly. Once inside, Weiss pointed to Blake's bed. They followed her point and their eyes widen.

Jaune and Blake were quietly sleeping. That wasn't the cause of shock. What shocked them was the fact that Jaune was shirtless, and Blake wasn't wearing her nightgown, but what they could only assume was just her bra and panty set. Both of them looked content, happy.

Ruby suddenly blushed as the situation finally caught up to her. "When I told him "what's a little skinship between lovers" I didn't think he'd take me literally." She whispered

"Should we wake them?" Yang asked amused.

"As much as I would like to…" Weiss began. "No…this is the first time I've seen Jaune sleep in the last few days. He needs his rest."

"I just it was me he was sleeping with right now," Ruby said sighing. She then noticed her sister and partner looking at her. "I hope I wasn't the only one thinking that."

"No, no," Yang quickly said, amused. "I just…the wording."

"No I meant it," Ruby said smirking at her sister who began to blush.

"A-aren't you a little too young to be thinking like that?" Weiss asked blushing as well.

"Nope." Ruby said amused at their reactions. Inside she was embarrassed that she was even thinking that, but she could see the merit of messing with her teammates.

'_Besides,' _Ruby thought with a smile on her face as she watched their sleeping boyfriend. _'Right now, I couldn't think of anyone else to do that with.'_

**End of Chapter 10**


	13. Chapter 11

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_I'm actually shocked that some of you guys and gals are saying I'm making the Harem work, considering this is my first time even writing one. Kudos to me I guess. _

_I think this chapter might have been hard for me considering my own personal circumstances…_

_But I hope you all enjoy it at least._

_I think I'm going to slow down on the updates a bit, take a little bit of time to flesh out the dialogue a bit more._

_For those Dark Souls 2 Fans, when I was writing the fighting scene, I was listening to Sir Alonne's theme._

_Also I've noticed that people have been requesting Neo to join the harem. Honestly the thought never crossed my mind for one good reason:_

_I never liked Neo initially._

_Don't get me wrong, her design is undeniably cute and I would like to see more of her character._

_It's just when she was first shown, her appearance vexed me. Who was she? Why was she here? What purpose did she have? Those were the questions I had when I first saw her._

_And then we don't even see here for until Episode eleven of season two._

_Seven freaking episodes just for a fight with Yang that was horribly curb-stompish._

_UGH!_

_I don't think I'd add Neo to the harem. I'm still having a hard time trying to add Sun ad Neptune for crying out loud!_

_The only reason I haven't is because while I like their characters, Weiss and Blake are in a relationship with Jaune, and that's…pretty much their only motivation for being at Beacon. I mean there are lesser reasons, like Sun actually liking team RWBY because they're cool, but you have to admit, Sun's motivation was Blake._

_And then they became comic relief. _

_As for Coco, I wouldn't add her to the Harem either. Iunno, as much as I like her, putting her in the Harem at this point would seem forced; I'm already pushing it with Emerald._

_Hah I just got it now: Ruby and Emerald. All we need is a character named Sapphire, and we have third gen huntresses XD_

_As for writing smut...uh...not my forte. I mean, I CAN. It's...not hard per-say. Its just I'm kind of bad at not making it sound redundant. _

_I also want to thank Wolfpackersson09 for his many story ideas he shot my way. I know what I'll be doing when I get done with this~!_

_I forsee a few more chapters and then the War kicks off._

"**There's a day when all hearts will be broken, when a shadow will cast out the…"**

**Chapter 11 - Light**

Jaune slowly awoke from his deep sleep. As him mind slowly began to wake up, he slowly realize he was not in his own bed. A slight panic washed over him before the memories of before hit him.

_That's right…I'm in Blake's bed; we fell asleep together…but where is Blake?_ As his mind slowly began gaining momentum, he realized he was alone in the bed; scratch that, alone in the room. As he took note of his surroundings, he noted that he could see his clothes, neatly folded on the bookshelf nearby; said clothes illuminated by the moonlight.

_Nighttime…I wonder how late it is…_ Jaune silently mused. He slowly got out of Blake's bed, feeling well rested. He reached over and grabbed his Scroll, as it laid near his clothes. He grunted annoyed at the few challenge messages. It wasn't like he didn't want to fight any of his peers; he just didn't think it would be good training for him. He was about to delete them all when one of them caught his eye. He groaned as he realized who the sender was. He couldn't turn down this challenge.

He thought about taking a shower, but he decided against it. He was about to fight someone, being clean could wait.

::::

Blake sighed as she looked at the amused faces of her friends. She had woke up earlier than Jaune, said boy was exhausted, only to find the amused (and slightly jealous) faces of her team. They were lounging in the Student Commons, something they've been taking to do ever since the preparations of the war began.

"So, be honest," Yang said as she looked at her partner. "How did it feel to sleep next to him so…_intimately_?"

Blake thought about that question. Despite Yang's intention of teasing her, the question really did provoke thought. "Well…I felt…safe." Blake mentally nodded to herself; that was the best way should describe it.

"Safe?" Ruby asked confused.

"That's how I felt," Blake replied. "It felt…nice being wrapped in his arms, the warmth of his body, his intoxicating scent…" as she spoke, a blush grew on her face. "It felt like the problems of the world faded away…and it was just the two of us." She closed her eyes as if she was remembering. "I haven't slept that peacefully in such a long time…"

"W-Wow…I…I need to get me some of that," Yang whispered now feeling a bit jealous. Ruby nodded in agreement.

"I just hope he's well rested," Weiss commented. "He didn't even move when Blake awoke, nor while we were talking."

"I'm sure he's fine," Ruby assured. "He's probably- going outside with his weapon."

"What?"

"He's going outside with his weapon," Ruby said pointing. Their eyes followed her hand and sure enough, they saw Jaune's retreating back with Crocea Mors strapped to his side. They all shared a look and got up to follow him.

They didn't go far as they found him in front of Beacon, staring down a man in strange armor. They couldn't even tell who the guy was because he wore a helmet. In his hands was a black sword and shield.

"So…your cheerleaders came to witness your defeat," the Armored Man said, his voice sounding hollow. "Show me, Jaune Arc. Show me your strength or die by my blade."

"You'll regret this battle," Jaune said drawing Crocea Mors from its sheath. "I won't hold back."

Without warning, both knights charged at each other, their blades clashing. Jaune wasted no time in kicking his opponent, pushing him away, and affording him a clean strike. But the Armored Man parried his strike, and sent his own Jaune's way, only for that to be parried. It was a clear stalemate as neither opponent could get an advantage.

"Who is that guy?" Weiss asked as her analytical eyes narrowed. "His fighting style is similar to Jaune's when he does use a shield."

"I don't know, but he's starting to piss me off," Yang said growling angrily. "He challenged Jaune to a death match and he actually thinks we won't step in?" She was about to charge, when a man appeared in front of Team Ruby. They all looked up at mountain in a business suit.

"My apologies, but interfering with this fight would only result in your death," The man rumbled.

"Who are you?" Ruby demanded drawing Crescent Rose; Blake and Weiss drew their weapons as well.

"He's Black-Fist Zvonimir." The girls didn't need to turn to know that Professor Ozpin was behind them. "And he's not one to be trifled with girls."

While this was going on, Jaune parried several more strikes before he took a serious blow to his side. He backed off, letting the wound heal with his Aura.

"You're holding back, Jaune," The Armored Man said annoyed. "I expected more from you."

"Expected more? You really do want me to kill you, don't you?" Jaune said shaking his head. "Fine, if that's what you want. I owe you a few licks, and I left my tire iron in my dorm."

"What?" His confusion about the tire iron was short live as Jaune rushed him, faster than before. His strikes got faster, stronger. The man tried to block and parry his blows, but a few got by, damaging his armor, and cutting his arms a bit. Jaune tried to press the assault further, only to take a shield to the face, knocking him back a bit, clutching his face. "Not bad…you actually wounded me a bit."

"Only a bit? Hmm…let's remedy that, shall we?"

Ozpin and Team Ruby watched as the fight slowly turned violent. Blood splattered everywhere. Ruby was clenching Crescent Rose, while Yang's eyes glowed red. Blake and Weiss were watching impassively, but anyone could see the worry in their eyes. Soon they were joined by nearly a dozen watchers. Apparently a stray eye caught the site of Jaune fighting someone and word spread.

"This is madness," Ren said frowning. "I've never seen a fight so brutal." He turned to Ozpin. "You really expect us to sit here and watch this?"

"Yes," Ozpin said bluntly. "This fight is one we cannot interfere in, despite how we feel about this."

"This fight will either break your leader, or mold him into the man you want him to be," Zvonimir continued.

Meanwhile Jaune was panting. _'Damn it old man, I didn't think you had this much fight left in you.' _He thought angrily.

"Getting tired, boy?" The Man said mockingly. "I haven't had this much fun in years."

"Glad you're happy," Jaune snapped angrily.

"I'm not," he replied. "You're holding back still."

"Bullshit! I'm putting everything I have into this fight!" Jaune retorted.

"You know who I am boy, but are you willing to kill me to pass?" The man asked. Jaune froze at those words. "Exactly my point. You wish to lead this war, but you don't have the resolve to do what's right."

"What right, and what I believe is right are mutually exclusive," Jaune announced.

"Is that your answer?" The man asked.

"You damn right it is!" Jaune screamed as he charged at the Armored Man. The man said nothing as he knocked away Crocea Mors from Jaune's hand, and delivered a powerful slash.

Everyone was silent as neither combatant moved. Then suddenly the Armored Man sheathed his sword.

-Click-

Blood began spurting wilding from Jaune's chest, his eyes widen in shock as he fell back. The last thing he heard before he fell was his friends and lovers screaming his name.

'_D-damn it…I can't let it…end…'_

::::

Ruby fell to her knees, eyes blank with despair as tears fell from her eyes. Yang was being held back by Zvonimir, her red eyes burning with hatred as she too cried. Several other students had to hold back Blake, Weiss, Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha.

Emerald looked at the fallen boy in the distance, his body sliced open, bleeding out. It reminded her of how her mother died, and she too fell to her knees like Ruby did.

Velvet stood off to the side, shaking with anger, "How…" she whispered. Then she began yelling. "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR OWN SON?!"

Everyone looked at Velvet then at the Armored Man who began taking off his helmet. Blond hair, blue eyes. The Man looked like an Older Jaune. Several eyes widen.

"WHY UNCLE ETHAN! WHY?!" Velvet screamed as she was now being restrained by her teammates.

"He needed to learn," Ethan said calmly. "He was weak and I showed him how weak he was."

"Damn you!" Yang screamed. "I'll kill you! You took him away from us!"

Ethan said nothing as the glares and curses washed over him.

::::

Jaune felt himself floating. It was dark, too dark, and he couldn't see. _'Is this where my story ends? Dead by the hands of my own father?'_

'_**No my dear descendant, your story is just beginning…'**_ a seductive voice whispered in his ears.

'_W-who…who are you? And where am I?'_ Jaune asked.

'_**I am Morganna Arc, and we are inside your soul…'**_

'_Morganna…Elias's sister? How?'_

'_**I am here because Coeur Sanglant was a curse of my creation, one that I've spent countless generations regretting within the souls of many Arcs like yourself,'**_ Morganna explained sadly. _**'Each generation, it progressively taints the souls of every Male Arc. I created it out of spite, jealousy, and hatred.'**_

'_You loved someone…and you lost him didn't you.'_

'_**Elias was everything I would ever want in a man, but he fell in love with Marta Scarlatina. I was a broken woman who spent her entire life pining over a man that was my own kin. I was blinded by his strength and the beauty of his heart. You remind me of him, you know? Someone who can freely love and make people happy. This is why I will give you the ultimate boon.'**_

'_W-what?'_

'_**You and your line will be free of the curse and I will unlock your Semblance…all I ask is if you stop the bloodshed that Alain Arc is causing.'**_

'_An Arc never goes back on his word,'_ Jaune told her fiercely.

He felt a soft pair of lips touch his own. _**'I'll hold you to it…'**_

::::

Suddenly a dark, oppressive Aura washed over them all. Ethan quickly turned around. There was a person, made of Black Aura kneeling next to Jaune. His eyes widen in shock and fear.

'_S-She fully manifested?!' _Ethan took a step back as the Aura Woman turned her eyes at him. She placed her hands onto Jaune's body and a black Aura covered him as well. Everyone watched as she stood up, Jaune body seemed to rise to its feet. They watched in morbid fascination as his chest wound sizzled as it closed. The woman then placed a kiss on Jaune's lips and his eyes opened up. The Aura Woman and the black Aura around Jaune disappeared as his own white Aura began to burn brightly.

"Je suis ... le Vangard de Lumière. Que ce soit la Mort Jaune votre héraut de la paix et de la destruction (I am...the Vangard of Light. Let this Yellow Death be your herald of peace and destruction.)" Jaune intoned as a blade of light formed into his hand. It was in similar shape as Crocea Mors.

"Jaune?" Ethan called out to his son. Jaune

"Je vais vous la fin (I will end you)." Jaune replied before he charged Ethan. Ethan quickly drew his sword to parry the blow, only to be shocked as Jaune's blade passed right through his own, and through his armor, cutting him deeply. Ethan took a step back, blood leaking from his chest plate.

"H-how!" Ethan asked in pain.

"My Semblance is called Chair Tueur…or Flesh Killer," Jaune said coldly. "A Semblance that allows me to form weapons that can only damage Flesh and blood and Auras. It allows me to get the job done."

"I-I see…" Ethan winced as Jaune casually created a second blade. Those things hurt. "I concede defeat. I know when I'm beaten."

Jaune looked at Ethan strangely before he drove a blade into his gut. Jaune ignored his father's scream of pain by driving another blade into his shoulder. Jaune then pushed the older man down. He looked down at the wounded man. "You're probably wondering why I stabbed you twice. One was for my friends and lovers, who had to watch me almost die in front of them. The second was for me, because you nearly killed me to "prove a point" and bon dieu it hurt getting nearly bisected." Jaune explained blandly.

"I-I get the point," Ethan said coughing in pain. His eyes widen as Jaune formed a third weapon…this time it was…"Is that a tire iron?"

At this point, his princesses had recovered enough to realize what Jaune was about to do. Jaune said nothing as he swung the tire iron into Ethan's knee cap; a sickening crunch could be heard as the man screamed in pain. "Why?!"

"That was for switching out my boxers for that god damn Onesie, you jackass!" Jaune yelled annoyed. "I've been waiting for four months to do that to you!" He tossed the offending weapon over his shoulder causing it to disperse into light

Ruby snorted…and then began to giggle. Yang soon followed, relieved that her boyfriend was okay. Weiss, Blake, and Pyrrha didn't last long as they soon began laughing. Emerald simply stared at Jaune as he made his way over to the crowd. Saying nothing, he picked up the giggling Ruby, bridal style. He turned to Ozpin. "Get him cleaned up, I want to live with what he did, especially when I tell mom."

Ethan, who was being helped up by Zvonimir, paled at those word," Jaune Emile Arc, you wouldn't dare!" Jaune turned his head and gave his dad a cheeky grin. Ethan paled even more. "Jaune, Arc men don't tattle!"

"Oh I'm not tattling, I'm just going to give them a play-by-play recount as to why I have a giant scar on my chest," Jaune said cheerfully as he walked away, with Ruby in arms, ignoring his father's pleas for mercy.

Jaune snorted. "Cut me in half, shame on me; make my beloveds cry, shame on him." He whispered to Ruby, causing her to giggle again.

::::

"Ow." Jaune muttered monotone. "You know, I should probably go to the medical facility for this," he commented as Blake was stitching up a wound on his side. Team Ruby, Pyrrha, and Jaune were in Team Ruby's Room.

"Yeah, well, I don't trust them with you," Yang said quietly. "They allowed your dad to brutally hurt you because "it was needed". What kind of bullshit is that?"

"Honestly, ow, I kind of did," Jaune admitted. "I mean, there are less painful ways to learn that "sometimes leaders need to make decisions that they won't like", but still…ow."

"I didn't like it…" Ruby said quietly. She had been ever since they got back to the dorm room. The sight of Jaune being hurt like that nearly broke her, and everyone knew that it would be a while before the younger girl would be back to normal.

"Nobody liked it, especially Jaune," Pyrrha commented quietly as well.

Jaune sighed. "I didn't like what they did to me, nor what they did to you and everyone who watched that fight. The reality of the situation is that you all know how serious the situation is. They put me in a position where it was either kill or be killed, and they made you watch helplessly as I floundered against a man that has nearly twenty-four years of experience handling the sword." Jaune snorted. "Yeah, that's Team Zero's M.O. alright."

"Team Zero?" Yang questioned.

"Zvonimir, Ethan Arc, Roman Torchwick, Ozpin. Team Zero," Jaune announced shocking the others. "They were the best at what they did, even if what they did wasn't very nice. They were the strongest team in Beacon History because they held no qualms in killing either people or Grimm. 'Black Fist' Zvonimir, one the best hand-to-hand specialist in the world, with his Semblance simply known as Steel, he could punch a hole into a Deathstalker's hide. 'White Blade' Ethan Arc, my old man; scariest guy with a sword or any bladed weapon for that matter. 'Gold Finger' Roman Torchwick, best sniper of his time…it's kind of good he didn't have his weapon when you all foiled his plans. And 'Silver Weave' Ozpin, our dear old headmaster outstrips Glynda in Aura Magic alone." The others marveled at that information. "And all of them are sadists. I mean look what my old man did to me to "teach me a lesson"."

"Well…" Blake began as she finished stitching him up. "It's a good think we have a few more days before the mission."

"Wait, what mission?" Ruby asked perking up.

"It's a recon mission, Ruby," Jaune explained. "Blake, Emerald, Fox, and I are going to investigate the Loamstol Mining Facility…rather around there." Pyrrha and Weiss stared at him

"Wait…you're going on a recon mission?" Weiss questioned.

"Yes."

"A recon mission that requires stealth?" Pyrrha questioned him this time.

"I think I've had this conversation before," Jaune muttered annoyed.

"They have a point," Yang said smiling. "You aren't the stealthiest person in the world."

"I'm plenty stealthy," Jaune rebuked.

"Sure," Yang teased. Everyone smiled though, as the atmosphere in the room was more pleasant than before. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Pyrrha got up from the chair she was sitting in and answered the door.

"Oh hello Emerald," Pyrrha greeted with a small smile.

"H-Hey Pyrrha…Ren said Jaune might be in here?" Emerald asked.

"He is," she replied letting the Green-haired girl into the room.

Emerald said nothing as she moved over to Jaune. "Hey…can I help you?"

"Why?"

"Why what?" Jaune asked back confused.

"Why do you fight?" Emerald elaborated. Jaune looked deep into her eyes and he instantly knew. She felt lost; purposeless. She too was affected by what happened to him during that fight, and it made her question herself, her resolve.

"I could give you a hundred and one reasons why anyone fights Emerald, but you asked me," Jaune began and he closed his eyes. "I fight because I have to. It's not out of necessity, nor ambition. I have to protect those I care about, whether they need me to or not. That was the reason why I wanted to become a Hunstman. It's not about the fame or glory for me; it's about the peace of mind that the people I care about is safe, even if it's over my broken and beaten body."

Emerald stared into his eyes, and she could see the burning passion behind them, his drive to protect others. She remembered eyes like his, but on another person – her mother. It was before she died, right in front of her. She gave Emerald a smile, and the light in her eyes never faded. She realized then and there that Cinder was right. Her mother loved her unconditionally and she did want the best for her. And right now, in Emerald's eyes, Jaune WAS the best.

Jaune eyes widen comically as Emerald began kissing him. He looked out the corner of his eyes and realized his girlfriends were just as shocked as he was. She soon stopped and gave him a glare. "If you ever do something so reckless before I have the chance to know you, I'll drag you from whatever hell you found yourself in and kick your ass. You understand, Jaune?" Jaune nodded dumbly. She gave him a smile. "Good." She moved away and quickly slipped out of the room before anyone could react.

Yang began smiling as Ruby and Pyrrha began giggling. Blake looked exasperated and Weiss was torn between confusion and anger.

Yang looked at Blake. "Say it."

"No, I'm not saying it." Blake told her.

"Say it."

"No Yang, I'm not saying it."

"Come on Blake, I can feel it deep inside, I NEED this," Yang demanded.

"FINE!" Blake shouted, startling Jaune. "YOU WERE RIGHT!"

Yang began laughing loudly as Weiss and Jaune both shared a confused look.

"Ever had the feeling you missed something very important but you're too afraid to ask?" Jaune questioned.

"Ever since I came to Beacon," Weiss sighed.

**End of Chapter 11**

_Just to clarify before I get reviews asking – Jaune still has the curse, so does Ethan, and Alain. Morganna was saying that any male children he has won't have the curse. When Jaune dies, the curse dies with him._


	14. Chapter 12

_**Mightier Than The Sword**_

_Milkshakes. That is all._

_No Seriously, check out the "The Pen" where you can ask me questions, talk about RWBY, and watch as I eventually point out the half a million Easter Eggs I threw into this thing. Link is in my profile_

_I want to be clear about this – This is my baby, my pet project, and currently my life considering I'm no longer in college for a while._

_I'm putting an obscene amount of effort into this, more so than I did with the Orochi Chronicles and Don't Disappear on Me, both of which need serious rewrites._

_As for the plot, I usually plan point A and point B and all the good sheez you guys like is me getting there, so if I do something that's weird or pace breaking, I do it for a reason that'll probably blow your mind. _

_Seriously I WILL blow your mind. It'd be awesome._

_To Kegi and those who agreed with him: I don't want to spoil anything I REALLY don't! I wanted to PM Kegi about why Morganna appeared and stuff, but SO MUCH SPOIL._

_I love you guys, and I love this story, but I don't want to spoil such a good thing because it seems weird!_

_This chapter's title song: Beat It By MJ. If you don't know who MJ is…_

"**They told him don't you ever come around here, don't wanna see your face, you better…"**

**Chapter 12 – Disappear**

Alain grinned as a Bullhorn came in for a landing on the dock that he had prepared on the base of his operations. _'Those fools have no idea that I'm still in Loamstol…and they haven't made a move it seems. How foolish of them.' _His grin widen at an unknown possibility. _'Maybe there isn't an Arc leading the army against me. That foolish uncle of mine is washed up, not even a threat, and poor little Jaune was too afraid of his own shadow, let alone willing to fight me. That means someone is leading the charge against me and they have the temerity of an Arc. Just the thought of that sends shivers down my spine!' _His thoughts were interrupted as a large man took a step off the bullhorn, the vehicle moving up slightly as if a heavy weight was released. Which wasn't that far off from the truth.

The man they just dropped off was Apache Minos, the largest member of the Einherjar Knights. Standing nearly at seven-foot-six, the giant bull Faunus was a force to be reckoned with. Like Vulturus, Minos wore a mask, his giving him the appearance of a giant demon. It didn't help that Minos wore only shorts as real clothing and the rest of his body was either wrappings or chains. On his back was his weapon, a hammer that worked in conjunction with his semblance.

"Master…I have…arrived." Minos murmured.

"That you have. Now do you understand the orders I am giving you?" Alain asked curiously. The man was strong, strong enough to be a mercenary under his command, but the amount of restraints he put on himself made him a bit…slow.

"Base…will…protect."

"Good. Vulturus and I are heading to the next site of our plan. I'll leave everything up to you." Alain told him.

A smile made its way on the deadly giant's face. "Kill…well…"

::::

Jaune grimaced as he put on the gear he was assigned for this mission. It wasn't like he hated the stealth gear that Ozpin procured from Dust knows where. It was more that his injuries from his father's fight still haven't healed fully yet and the gear was tight in places. He looked over to Fox, who was also grimacing.

The gear consisted of a Black Combat vest, which had actual Dust running through it, and a black helmet fitted with the latest technology. The helmet itself allowed those who wore them to silent communicate with each other, had a HUD that could sync up with the leader's Scroll to place waypoint markers, and objectives. Jaune couldn't help but admire the about of tech the thing had.

Of course, to complete the look, they had to wear black clothing. Black Pants, black shirts that covered their skins and neck and provided some protection, and black combat boots. They were allowed to carry their standard weapons of course.

"What's the point of us wearing all this gear to conceal ourselves if we're using our signature weapons?" Fox asked confused.

"The gear isn't to conceal ourselves per-say, but more to make it harder for them and easier for us," Jaune replied. "Faunus can see in the dark, three-fourths of our team can't, and even with their innate night vision the forest will be too dark for them to tell the difference between us the terrain. Then there's the fact that if we do engage with the enemy, we can change tactics on the fly as they won't be able to hear us in these thing."

"Ah," Fox nodded understanding.

"Plus they look damn cool," Jaune added as an afterthought.

"Right," Fox chuckled agreeing. Then he looked over to Jaune. "Are you going to be okay with this mission? Even between Professor Goodwitch and Fall, your wounds couldn't be fully healed." The day after the fight, Glynda had dragged Jaune directly into the infirmary where she and Cinder try to heal him faster under Ozpin's orders. Jaune's Aura, Glynda noted, had lost some of its healing properties, making it harder for him to take hits and protect himself.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just a bit tender in places…I can't heal as well as the others, but I can reinforce better now," Jaune commented. "In any event, let's go meet up with the rest of the team." Fox nodded as he and Jaune put on their helmets.

Jaune pressed a hand on the side of his helmet. [Testing.]

[I read you loud and clear.] Fox replied.

[These things actually work?] Emerald asked from a different room.

[Are you girls ready?] Jaune questioned as he strapped Crocea Mors in black sheath on his back.

[As ready as we can be.] Blake replied.

[Good. Let's head down to the docks. Our ride is waiting for us.] Jaune instructed.

A short time later, they were all at the docks where the Beacon Staff awaited them.

"Good, you're ready. The Bullhorn will take you to a secure spot not too far from the base." Ozpin explained.

"What happened with us taking the boat?" Jaune questioned frowning.

"We did some research on the land ourselves," Ozpin began. "As it turned out, the river dried out a few years ago, due to a change in climate in the area. This will be an alternative. Do not worry though; the Bullhorn has been modified to run quietly and fast."

"Here, take this." Glynda said giving Jaune a Gray Scroll. "This is the Commander's Scroll that links up to your HUDs."

Jaune accepted it. He had quickly skimmed through the usage while he was being worked on by Glynda and Cinder. How it worked fully, he'd admit he was lost, but he knew enough to place way points and objective markers, that's all he needed to do.

"Good luck out there," Ethan told them. "While you four are doing this mission, we'll be coordinating with the troops just in case you need them."

"Hopefully not," Jaune commented. "This is a simple recon mission."

"Recon huh? That requires stealth-" Ethan began.

"Okay that's really getting old," Jaune growled.

"Hey, just trying to lighten the mood," Ethan said calmly. "You're too wound up. You need to be loose so you can adapt better."

"I know…" Jaune said. Then he checked the time. "We better move, the sun we only got seven hours and twenty-eight minutes until the sun rises."

"A Seven hour mission," Fox commented. "That's pretty short."

"More like that's our window of opportunity," Jaune told them. Once the sun rises, our night gear will be useless and we'd need to get out of there, on foot if need be."

"No pressure though," Emerald commented.

The four teens boarded the modified Bullhorn and was soon off to their destination.

::::

Roman looked at Adam like he was crazy. "You mind repeating that?"

"Alain has left the base with Vulturus, and left that brute Minos in charge. Now is the perfect time to put our plan in motion." Adam repeated.

Over the last few days, ever since the brutal execution of Councilman Bronzewing, Adam had noticed a considerable split in the White Fang forces. There were the extremist, who believed what Alain and Vulturus did was the next logical step in gaining equality for the Faunus, and those who were absolutely sickened by the act. As such, when Minos arrived, a large and powerful Faunus that worked with Alain, that split became very noticeable.

To that end, he had to assign the thirty-six peaceful Faunus on patrol around the base while the other sixty-four were located inside the base, happily working with the massive monster of a man.

The plan was simple; take the good Faunus and high-tail it out of there. Roman had long decided to cut his loses, and Adam did not want to be in league with a monster like Alain any longer. The credibility of the White Fang was shot to hell now that it was revealed they were working with the mad man.

"Are you sure we can pull it off?" Roman asked taking a puff of his cigar.

"Whether or not we can pull it off isn't the problem here," Adam replied grimly. "Surviving will be the main issue. Especially if Alain finds out…"

"You make a horribly interesting point…" Roman muttered. Adam nodded and then realized something.

"Where is that girl you had with you the other day?" He asked.

"Neo?" Adam nodded. "I don't know…she usually just wanders off doing Dust knows what. I did tell her to stay out of the main base, but stay close."

"I see…" Adam murmured. "She scares me. She just stares at me whenever I'm around."

"She thinks you're cute," Roman told him shrugging.

"Isn't she like…half my age or something?"

"I don't know," Roman said unsure as well. "She never told me her age, not that I asked. She's really good at combat if you haven't noticed, and I don't make it a priority to piss off women I know I can't beat in a fight."

::::

Jaune grimaced as they got near the drop zone. If people who didn't know him saw his face, they would say he was anticipating the mission he was about to embark in. For those who really knew him, would scoff and say he's trying not to throw up.

Let's reiterate that Jaune Arc has motion sickness.

Blake, sensing his distress rubbed his back to try and ease his discomfort. Emerald and Fox were confused.

[Why are you rubbing his back?] Fox questioned finally, the silence getting him.

[He has motion sickness.] Blake supplied. [It's the reason why Yang and Ruby sometimes call him Vomit-boy. Apparently when he came to Beacon, it was so bad that he accidently threw up on Yang's shoes.]

Fox snickered while Emerald was silent, probably shocked. You couldn't tell because of the helmets.

[Oh…ugh…yuck it up Fox.] Jaune groaned. [I have you know that every Arc and even some Scarlatina have this issue.]

[Even Alain?] Emerald asked curiously.

[Especially Alain]

_**Meanwhile on another Bullhorn heading in another direction**_

"Oh Dust…can't this thing," Alain tried to stop the rise of bile out of this throat. "Can't this thing go faster?"

"Boss, you really need to see a doctor about that Motion Sickness," Vulturus muttered as he stayed far away from the man. Last time he was like this, he threw up on Titania's shoes and being the boss and the scariest S.O.B in the world didn't save him from that beating.

_**Back with the heroes.**_

[Thanks Blake…we're nearing the drop zone so I should be fine…] Jaune said quietly.

[Anytime.] Jaune could hear the smile in her voice.

::::

Minos stared out into the dark horizon from the sky dock of the mining facility. Something was coming, his senses told him. A battle was about to begin, and it excited him. It had been so long since he fought, and his compatriots would never spar with him. Sometimes he would go into a blood rage and attack military bases, just for the sheer thrill of it.

As he savored the prelude to carnage, his eyes spotted something in the far distance. A dark entity in the night. He recognized it immediately.

'_Bullhorn. Modified. No Reflection. No Sound. Recon. Trouble.'_

Minos decided then and there that he would take out that ship. You see what made Minos incredibly powerful and terrifying was his Semblance, Localized Magnetism. With a simple thought he could reflect bullets and blades with easy, crush machines with a wave of his hands, but it went farther than that.

Minos's weapon wasn't just a hammer, but also a very peculiar weapon. Minos took his giant hammer of his back, and quietly mecha-shift it to a Small Turret Gun with a long barrel. He pulled out a rod that hung with his Hammer off his back and broke a small piece of it off. He stuck the broken rod inside the chamber of the turret and activated his semblance. Certain parts of the barrel began spinning, each part spinning faster than the last. Once he was satisfied with the rotation speed, he fired the gun.

A lot of people, including his teammates think Minos is stupid. They also forget he made his own weapon. What was simply a hammer to some; even few realized what it really was: a Magnetic Rail gun capable of firing metal rods strong enough to crater the landscape.

He smiled as the target lit up in the night sky. He hoped they survive so they can make things interesting.

::::

"We've been hit!" The pilot screamed. "You kids better get off now, I'll try to land this thing."

[You heard the man, let's move!] Jaune commanded. They all jumped from the Bullhorn as it slowly began to spin out of control. They all landed in the forest below as the Bullhorn crashed nearby. [Is everyone alright?] He asked.

Blake and Emerald nodded at Fox. [We're all fine. What's the plan now?]

[Well our only ticket out of here just got shot down. Blake, Emerald, I want you both to go check out the crash site and make sure our pilot survived.] Jaune told them.

[Wait we're splitting up?] Emerald asked confused.

[Both of you have weapons that are close to long range, and you two can support each other better and Blake knows some rudimentary first aide. Fox and I will continue on ahead. More than likely our little crash might have attracted some attention.] Jaune explained.

[I see…we'll ambush any patrols heading the girls' way.] Fox said getting the plan.

[I don't like this…but you're the leader. Be safe you two.] Blake told them.

Jaune nodded. [We'll try. Also try to see if the communications still work. If they do, contact Ozpin and tell him of our situation.]

[We'll try.] Emerald parroted. [Come on Blake, let's go.]

Fox and Jaune watched the two girls leave. Jaune turned to Fox. [Let's move out.]

::::

Adam, Roman, and Neo were sitting in their hidden meeting room when one of the members of the defecting White Fang burst in. "Sir, Minos just shot down what we believe is a Bullhorn, just outside of town."

Adam's eyes widen behind his mask. "He shot down a Bullhorn from roughly thirty miles away? Impossible."

"Well he did, and the others in the base are getting restless."

Adam growled. "You tell them that if they leave that base, I'll break them myself. Tell the men outside of the base to begin searching the forest, and if they find anything, bring them to ME. Not Minos. Understand?"

The grunt, never seen Adam upset before, nodded fearfully and went to relay the messages. Roman looked at Neo. "Go out there and help them and if you find anyone that's not White Fang, bring them in alive."

Neo nodded and happily skipped out of the room. Adam looked at Roman. "She scares me."

"I know!"

::::

Blake and Emerald finally made it to the crash site. To their relief, the pilot was okay and was inspecting the damage to the ship. Pilot turned towards the girls scratching his head.

"You two have any idea what kind of weapon that could put a hole the size of a fist into a Bullhorn?" he questioned.

"Not a normal weapon, that's for sure," Blake said looking at the hole in question. Emerald looked too and noticed something that scared her.

"It's a straight line." Emerald said shocked and afraid.

"What?" Both Blake and the Pilot said before looking at the hole.

"Whatever was shot at us flew at a straight line, nearly at the same altitude as us, with impressive force." Emerald explained. "And the only thing that's tall enough to even pull that off is the Mining Facility and that's nearly thirty miles away from here." Seeing their pale faces she nodded. "Whoever fired on us had to be a sniper of unrivaled skill and a weapon with strong enough firing strength to maintain power and speed."

"We need to contact Professor Ozpin," Blake told the pilot with urgency. "We might need back up, or at least extraction."

"I'll contact the boys and let them know what we found out," Emerald told Blake.

::::

[We've been traveling for a while and no sign of life in these woods. Not even Grimm. This is making me nervous.] Fox muttered.

[I know. It's not natural.] Jaune stopped and pulled out the Scroll. [According to the map, there's a clearing up ahead.]

[Right…] Fox said nodding.

[Jaune, Fox, it's me, Emerald. Can you read me?]

[We read you loud and clear.] Jaune replied. [What's up?]

[The pilot is okay and the Bullhorn is broken. It won't be able to fly, not with the damage it took.] She explained. [Blake and I inspected the damage…something was fired at us, at the same height as the Bullhorn was flying at. The hole it left was a straight line, and it ripped through the engines cleanly, like a sniper round.]

Jaune considered her words. He shook his head. [That's…impossible. The only thing that's tall enough is the Mining Facility. You mean to tell me that a sniper or something of that equivalent not only spotted us, but shot us down, from over thirty miles?]

[That's what it looked like. The hole was horizontal, not vertical nor at an angle. Blake is contacting Ozpin as we speak.]

[Well we know someone is there.] Fox said quietly. [But we haven't run into a single patrol or a Grimm.]

[What?] That came from Blake. [I can somewhat understand not running into a patrol, but no Grimm? This area isn't as protected as the four main Kingdoms and Grimm attacks are more frequent.]

[Maybe…maybe they've been hunted down already.] Jaune offered.

[Not likely. Grimm one-oh-one; you can clear an area of Grimm, but they tend to form regardless the presence of negative emotions or people for that matter. There have been reports of Grimm forming inside of Vale. It rare, but it happens.] Fox explained.

[Which makes this situation much worse.] Jaune muttered. [We're going to check out that clearing and then retreat.]

[Right…]

Fox and Jaune made their way towards the clearing. They stopped as a person appeared in the middle of the clearing. It was a human girl. She had pink and brown hair. In fact, her entire attire was pink and brown. She smiled at them and waved. She blinked (Fox and Jaune noting that her Pink and Brown Eyes switched positions) as they got into their stances.

"Identify yourself." Jaune told her.

The girl blinked again, her eyes turning fully brown this time. She opened her umbrella and held it as if she was expecting rain.

"Fox, watch my back," Jaune muttered to his ally. Fox nodded as Jaune slowly approached the creepy girl. When he got closer he realized something. She wasn't moving. It was looking at a cut out. Suddenly he heard glass breaking and his side erupted in pain.

"Jaune!" Fox called out as several dozen White Fang members appeared from out of nowhere.

[Shit! She hit my side and reopened that wound.] Jaune gasped through his radio.

[What?! Jaune, whats going on?!] Blake called out distressed.

[We're on our way!] Emerald told them.

[No…] Jaune muttered as he looked around. He could see nearly twenty people surrounding him, with Fox on the outside of the ring of enemies. A few of them were edging towards Fox. [There's too many of them, and who knows how many are left. That girl also has an illusion-based ability; we didn't even see them until she broke it herself. Fox, get out of here.]

[Jaune are you crazy?!] Fox shouted.

[If they wanted to kill us, they would've done so while under the illusion. Get to the girls and wait for backup! Trust me!]

[Jaune, don't you dare do this!] Emerald yelled over the lines.

[I want you three to trust me like I trust you!] Jaune said as he held his hands up, the universal sign of surrender. [Get out of here, get help.]

[You better not die, you idiot!] Fox yelled as he made his retreat.

"The other one is escaping! After him!"

"No we got one of them, that's all we need."

"Disarm him. Roman and Adam will want to see this one personally."

Jaune grunted as they took Crocea Mors from him and restrained him.

"This one is bleeding too. An injury perhaps?"

"No matter. Knock him out." Jaune felt a painful blow to the back of his head. He was out before he hit the ground.

**End of Chapter 12**


	15. Chapter 13

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_Every once in a while, as a writer, you get review that really rubs you the wrong way. Not because they were rude, no that's not the case. It bugs you because they're sort of right, but you don't want to correct them because you have this grand master plan that will change the entire pacing of the story and you don't want to reveal it._

_And I spent the last two days reading that one review over and over again, obsessing over it because of latent OCD when it comes to my writing._

_You all can guess which review it is. I'm not mad at the reviewer, more at myself for putting myself in this situation as a writer. _

_I suppose having most of the known villains in the RWBY Cannon go good because big bad Alain is supposed to be a great evil, but I want to put a perspective on things._

_The White Fang only resorted to those harmful acts because they felt that their peaceful protests their previous leader kept advocating wasn't working. More and more Faunus were being persecuted and for no reason other than existing. They chose the path before them because they felt like there wasn't any choice. They were, as Blake put it, "Tired of being pushed around." When you keep pushing someone, eventually they'll push back and the end result were them working towards harming Humans instead of finding a mutual understanding. _

_Roman Torchwick, for all intents purposes, is a thief, plain and simple. He can kill, and it's implied that he doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, but like I said in the fanfic "What Alain is doing is bad for business". A thief (unless your fucking Lupin the Third) prefer to operate when people lease expect it. Now granted, he was doing robberies where EVERYONE can see him, but I believe that's more of "Hey, look at me, I'm so badass and you idiots can't stop me". Roman in the show is evil, I'm not going to deny that, and I'm not going to ignore the fact that he launched a plan to flood the city of Vale full of Grimm. Right now, he seems morally grey, but do you really think anyone will trust a guy who looks like he stepped out of "A Clockwork Orange"? Not willingly, I hope._

_With Cinder, she's just as bad as Roman and that's only because A: Roman and the White Fang works for her and B: Nobody knows her motivation nor plan. At this point, I'd like to think of her as Queen Beryl from Sailor Moon as far as the show is concerned. You know she's in control, but you don't know why, and when you find out, it's probably be groan worthy or jaw dropping. In Beryl's case btw, she went evil because Endymion fell in love with Serenity and she was quite jilted by that- Wow, that sounds ODDLY familiar doesn't it?_

_I don't think Emerald and Mercury are evil, just following orders. They might have been recruited by Cinder, but could you really turn down someone who has control over a Master Thief, and an entire army of disgruntled beings with extra powers like Night Vision, and whatever their animal traits give them?_

_As far as the romance goes, yes, I get it. It felt kind of rushed, and that's only because they haven't sat down and actually thought about their relationship. They've been training, and getting mentally scarred by horrible acts of violence and the relationship they have right now is keeping them from falling apart. It's not perfect, it's not a healthy relationship, but what can they do right now? They're training for a war against a mad man and his merry little sociopaths. They grew together to ease the mental anguish their young minds are currently dealing with, unlike Dove, who kind of Blue Screen of Death'd on his team because his Dad died in front of him. Hunters yes, young impressionable minds, very yes._

_And finally, I think I've pointed this out before about Jaune. Jaune was still learning how to wield his weapon when the story began, both Canon and this story. Now, his curse amplified his blood lust, and the feeling he gets in pitched battle, and forces him to work on instinct. He has the skills there, but he himself knows that he alone cannot bring himself to hurt others, so he falls back on his blood knight side to get the job done. Jaune has been shown to be a budding tactician when he needs to be, and the confidence boost he gets from his team and friends only help his skills to grow. _

_In the story, I tweaked him to be a tactical genius, but then I turned around and inferred that "All Arcs are tactical geniuses in some way". Whether they act like it or not, it's up to them. Does Alain know that the base is about to be sieged? No. Why? Because on top of being evil, he's vain. I think I've mentioned that before. He doesn't think that anyone can match him other than an Arc and he didn't bother with gathering intel other than "Jaune and Velvet goes to Beacon"._

_Ethan is a bit of genius as well, but he likes to be goofy and live without a plan. Did he plan on Jaune unlocking his Semblance during their fight? No. Did he plan on Morganna to manifest using ambient Dark Aura? No. His plan was to get Jaune to see that he can't continue fooling around and that war is serious business. The damage he dealt to Jaune wouldn't of healed in time for the mission, yet, most of them closed and his Aura isn't working properly, I've even stated this in story._

_Jaune knows that on a mental level, he can't stomach the thought of taking another life, but he knows that he might eventually. He's not powerful, just stronger than canon, considering his sparring partner IS Pyrrha for crying out loud. Jaune's fighting style has changed slightly, as I think having him use the shield less fits his new reckless behavior._

_And while I'm rambling about it, yes. Technically he lost that fight against Ethan. The damage he sustained would put him down for a while if it weren't for Morganna's influence. Just because he immediately stabbed his father twice and went to his kneecaps with a tire iron doesn't mean he won, he was being vindictive, and he didn't go back on his word – he really did beat his father with a tire iron. _

_A part of me feels like I have to justify the things I do in my stories because in the end, while I enjoy writing, I also enjoy seeing other people derive some form of entertainment from my work. Maybe it's from years of being an LPer and Abridger, I like it when people enjoy themselves. _

_Another part of me wants to say fuck it, and continue without worrying, and that's the selfish part of me. I write because I like to read my own work. I know I'm a horrible writer, and I've been doing this story without a beta AND nobody to bounce ideas off of. I've been meticulously planning each facet of this story, chapter by chapter, only using my meager outline as a guide. Most of the OC characters are based off of other characters from games and movies I like._

_For example, most of Alain's evil side comes from the Joker. Vulturus is based off of the Pseudoroid Maverick Vulturon from Mega Man ZXA. Apache Minos is based off of Minos Magnes from Mega Man Zero Four. Zvonimir is a Turk. Seriously, read his description again. Ethan Arc, though goofy, is based off the Player Character from Dark Souls 2. His armor is the flagship Armor from the game and his weapon set is the Drangleic Sword and Shield (totally forgot what they're called btw, shows you how long I've gone without playing my beloved game). Nilima is ALMOST a palate swap of Shantae, and Jerejima, someone pointed out that his description fits almost Colonel Volgin from MGS 3, which was part of his design, the other was Asgard from Wild Arms 3. And I haven't even touched Lapis Sustrai and Lie Rae, and Ren's unknown father yet, other than letting you know that they have relevance._

_I think I needed to vent. I'm not mad, far from it. I just…wanted to say my peace on the matter. I'm only human after all. I appreciate the support that you all have shown me since I started this story, and I did tell you guys to let me know if you guys don't like or have concerns about what I do in the story. But at the same time I don't want to…make changes that would throw off the grove, you know?_

_I actually started to write another RWBY story, two of them in fact, both OC centric and I trashed them because I was so frustrated at myself._

_I don't know anymore, I just spent over fifteen hundred words venting over a review I partially agree with. _

_In other news, I think over the last few days I've warmed up to Neo, only due to two thoughts in my head – Yandere Neo and Lustful Neo. Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but I want to explore the thought of Neo suddenly obsessing over a love interest to the point of either killing anyone who she perceives to be a threat to their love and/or simply kidnapping them and having her way with them._

_All the while being silent and cheerful as she is in the show. Mein gott, that's creepy and arousing at the same time._

_No quote this chapter, but the title will be a reference in itself. I can't think of anything songs with lyrics to fit or a movie quote._

**Chapter 13 – The Gathering**

Jaune groaned as he slowly came to, his head pounding from the blow he took. A soft hand touched the side of his head and soon the pain slowly faded, leaving only warmth. Jaune eyes slowly opened and he saw the person who was easing his pain. It was the girl that ambushed him. She gave him a welcoming smile as her mix-matched eyes peered into his own. Jaune could see the amusement in her eyes as she pulled her hand away from him.

"Uh…thanks," He murmured confused, and rightly so. Wasn't he captured by the White Fang? He tried to move his arms only to find them tied to his back. He was sitting in a chair, stripped of his helmet, vest, and shirt, leaving him bare chested. Jaune blushed as he felt the girl's hand trace the scar left by his father's idiotic plan.

He saw the concern in her eyes as she looked at the scar. "It's not as bad as it looks," Jaune told her. He didn't know why he wanted to assure her, she was the enemy. Well, the enemy who took the time to heal him that is. Maybe that's why, he mused. "So where am I?"

The girl blinked, and made movements with her hands and body. They were small, but he could get the jist of what she was trying to tell him. "Ah…so you captured me, but didn't bring me to the big guy up top. Instead, I'm currently being held by other people?" The girl nodded, happy that her message got through.

"Got it in one, kiddo," Jaune blinked as two people entered the room. One he instantly recognized immediately, the other was a complete mystery. The other man was tall, with brown and red hair and had horns on his head. He wore a Grimm Mask, signifying that he was a White Fang member. He also wore black and red clothes. "I must say though, you have guts sneaking around like that, injured that heavily. I am impressed."

"Golden Finger Roman," Jaune identified with slight amusement. "I'd never thought I'd ever impress someone like you, criminal or not."

Roman smiled, "Ah yes that takes me back a bit. Tell me kid; is Ozpin still an enigmatic prick?"

"I plan on taking a tire iron to his good leg when this is all over," Jaune deadpanned. The girl stared at him and began poking, prodding, and rubbing his muscles. Jaune ignored her.

Roman chuckled, "Now that makes me want to free you just for you to hit him one for me. Alas, I can't just do that."

"I figured," Jaune commented, his eye twitched as the girl continued to feel his muscles, a small blush growing on the girl's face. The men in the room tried to ignore her. "So is this the part where you guys play bad and worse cop to force answers out of me?"

"Not exactly," the Faunus said chuckling. "We know who you are, Jaune Arc, and since you and several others were snooping around, it's safe to say the Vale Military knows we're here."

"Less them, more Beacon. The Council drafted us for this war, but left us to our own devices. Now that I think about it, it's odd, but still." Jaune replied. The twitch got worse as her hands went from his arms and chest to his abs.

"Then this will probably go smoother than I thought," the man said with a smirk. "The group of White Fang who ambushed you works directly with me and Roman, and we're planning on abandoning this foolish plan of Alain's. After Loamstol, the White Fang unofficially disbanded. A massacre of that scale? We can't recover from that, not with the Humans nor our own kind."

"Here's the deal kiddo, we know that Ozzy is probably planning an assault on the main facility. Adam and his men want to defect, and I just want out of this mad plan." Roman sighed as he took a puff of his cigar. "We're willing to negotiate and do whatever it takes…except getting caught and jailed of course."

"Do you mind miss?" Jaune asked blushing. "That's very distracting and your hand is getting uncomfortably lower."

The girl blushed and took her hands off of him. She made some gestures and Roman chuckled. "I didn't know you had a type Neo. Blondes excite you huh?" Neo's blush got worst.

"Almost sexual harassment aside," Adam intervened. "We want you to contact Ozpin and let him know we're defecting to his side."

"And I'm just helping to get out of this," Roman added. "I have a reputation to uphold, and being lumped with the good guys or a killer ruins both of them."

"They'll probably try to get you as an accessory to Councilman Bronzewing's murder," Jaune pointed out.

"They can try," Roman replied annoyed. "I was much as a prisoner as he was. Alain's men are scary."

::::

Fox head reeled as he took a slap from Blake. "How could you leave him?!" She screamed.

"I had no choice! He was surrounded, apparently injured, not to mention that weird chick with the mix-matched eyes that kept changing and her weird illusions!" Fox yelled back annoyed.

"Wait," Emerald interrupted. "Did she carry a parasol with her?"

"Yeah," Fox answered. "Why, do you know something?"

"I think so…" Emerald said, not really wanting to admit she worked with Roman and the White Fang to Fox and Blake, but wanting to be somewhat helpful. "Her name is Neopolitan, Roman Torchwick's private enforcer. Nobody knows where she came from or what's her motivation is with working with the guy, but what we do know is that she incredibly skilled in close quarter combat and her Semblance allows her to create illusions." Emerald sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, Jaune made the right call. They weren't going to win that fight."

Blake was about to turn her ire on Emerald when the Pilot interrupted. "Look this is all well and good, but should we be calling Mister O and getting reinforcements and/or getting out of here?" Blake sighed.

"You're right…sorry Launchpad; I'm just worried about Jaune."

Launchpad grinned. "Aw don't worry your pretty little head, miss. I'm sure everything will be A-Ok!"

"At least one of us is optimistic," Fox grumbled. "Get Ozpin on the line."

::::

A short time later, Ozpin was clutching his cane, angry at the report Fox had delivered. Jaune was right. They were in Loamstol and they had very powerful allies it seems. The girl with illusion-based powers and some unknown sniper with the power to strike targets from that great of distance. It only made things worst that Jaune got captured.

'_I knew the recon wasn't going to go as planned, but this is ridiculous.' _Ozpin shook his head. _'The boy is as danger prone as his father.'_

Sighing, he pressed a button to activate the school intercom. "Ruby Rose, Nilima Saxema, Coco, Jerejima – gather three teams of your respective years and meet me in the Amphitheater in twenty minutes. Glynda, have our people prepare the Bullheads. We're going to Loamstol." He ordered.

He closed his eye to calm himself. He needed to keep a cool head. Getting angry would not do him, the students, or Jaune any good. Steeling himself for the incoming outburst from his troops, Ozpin walked down to the Amphitheater. When he arrived, he was surprised to see the students waiting for him, ready for combat. A small smile grew on his face as he went up on stage. He had his doubts, given that he ran a school for children to learn and grow, but now he saw soldiers, ready for combat.

"I'll keep this brief as it is early in the morning. At zero-one-hundred hours, a team of four of our own went on a mission to Loamstol, a recon mission to ascertain the whereabouts of Alain and his men." He stopped as he could hear murmurs from the crowd. He ignored them and continued. "At zero-one-thirty-six, their craft was shot down by what they believe a power sniper round, and at zero-two-hundred hours, the recon crew was ambushed by White Fang forces. One of them was captured while the other escaped."

In the crowd, both members of Team Ruby and Juniper felt a cold shiver go down their spine at those words. Ozpin took a quick glance at them, suddenly realizing that the recon team consisted of a member from both of their teams. For the gathering, it seems like Team Juniper was being led by Cardin, and Team Ruby had that Mercury boy on their team. _'Good, they made use of the resources they had.' _Ozpin silently praised.

"I will not lie or keep this from you; the team consisted of Jaune Arc, Blake Belladonna, Fox, and Emerald Sustrai, and Jaune Arc was captured by the enemy forces. Fox believes that he is unharmed, but we do not know how long that will last. As such, we will be moving to attack the enemy and retrieve our comrade. Prepare to move out, we leave in ten minutes." Ozpin watched as the students left the Amphitheater. Soon he was left alone with his thoughts.

"You're worrying Ozpin," A voice said from the darkness.

"And why shouldn't I?" Ozpin retorted.

"You should have more faith: faith in your students and in yourself. I have a feeling Jaune will be alright."

"You only say that because you don't have the same burden I have, Ethan." Ozpin turned to the man in question.

"No…I guess I don't." Ethan admitted. "But what I do know is that the man before me has made mistakes like anyone else, and he's always had the strength to do what is right for those around him. You took on this burden because you didn't want anyone else to suffer. Just like Jaune allowed himself to become their unofficial leader. They recognize him as such, not for his strength in combat, but for his heart and his willingness to fight the darkness they felt they couldn't. In a lot of ways, Jaune is more like you than you realize."

"And that what worries me the most." Ozpin said frowning. "How many mistakes will he make before he ends up like me?"

::::

Team Ruby and Juniper stood off to the side of the crowd of students. They tried not to show it, but they were worried about Jaune, more than usual.

"That idiot…" Weiss muttered. The others looked at her. "I knew him going on that mission felt wrong, but he assured us it was going to be fine. And what happened? He gets captured."

"It's not like he knew it was going to happen," Ren told her calmly. "No plan ever survives the first encounter with the enemy."

Weiss huffed. "I know..."

"I wondered how he got captured in the first place." Pyrrha commented as she continue to inspect her weapon.

"From what Ozpin told me," a new voice popped in. They turned to see Ethan standing there, in casual clothes. "Jaune and Fox were ambushed by several White Fang members…and a strange girl."

"What was strange about the girl?" Ruby asked.

"Fox claimed that her Semblance allowed her to create illusions. They didn't even realize how bad the ambush was until she forcefully broke it. Jaune ordered Fox to retreat, if only to protect his comrade."

"That…that is one strong ability," Ren commented amazed.

"I want you kids to be careful, if not for your own, but for Jaune's sake." Ethan said frowning. "I know that some of you claim to love him, how and how deeply is yet to be determined. But it will break his heart regardless if any of you get hurt for his sake."

"We'll get him back," Nora said with a smile. "And we'll break the legs of anyone who try to stop us! And then we can come back home for breakfast! Nothing says happy ending like a victory pancake!"

"A what?" Ethan asked confused.

"Try not to think too much into it," Ruby said giggling at the older Arc's expression. She wasn't the only one. Most of the time, the adults ignore her exuberance, but Ethan actually listened to her entire rant it seems. The tense mood was lifted, even temporarily. "That's just Nora being Nora."

"I…I see…" Ethan shook his head. "Anyways, I'll let you kids go. Remember what I told you." Seeing their nods, he left.

"You know, other than trying to cut his son in half, Wonder-Boy's dad isn't so bad." Mercury commented. "And just as dorky as his son."

"Actually I think he might be worse," Cardin commented.

"That's a mental image I can do without," Ren muttered. "Jaune is already reckless."

"He's not reckless," Pyrrha defended. "He just…likes to try planning things on the fly."

"That sounds even worse," Weiss commented.

"We can discuss how reckless Jaune is later, looks like we're ready to head out," Yang said as the Bullhorns landed at the sky dock. They moved with the other students to board the many Bullhorns. It was game time.

::::

Jaune looked at the Scroll Adam had handed him. He was back into his stealth gear once more, feeling much better than he did. "Are you sure this one is secure? And what happened to the one I was carrying?"

"Roman destroyed it just in case it could be tracked," Adam explained. "And yes, that one is secure."

"Fair enough," Jaune said nodding. "I'll uphold my end of the bargain. Ozpin has probably mobilized the troops as is. I do suggest that the defectors change their gear, so there won't be any friendly fire."

"Way ahead of you," Adam admitted with a smirk. "We've been planning this for weeks. Every defector has a black cloak ready to be worn."

"Nice." Jaune praised. He then entered Ozpin's frequency into the Scroll. Every Team Leader at Beacon had to memorize it, just in case of an emergency.

Jaune didn't wait long as Ozpin answered. "Ozpin here. Speak."

"Gee Professor would it kill you to be a little polite?" Jaune said amused.

"Jaune! You're okay! Did you escape from your captors?"

"There's a story behind that…" Jaune explained how the White Fang forces had split between the fanatics and those who weren't, and how the leader and Roman both wanted out of the situation at hand. "And that's where we at right now. Honestly I'm a bit skeptic, no offense Adam."

"None taken," the man replied with a shrug.

"However, they are honest in their resolve. No matter though, we need to take out that base." Jaune finished.

Ozpin was silent at first. "Jaune I can't help but to feel as if what I'm about to do is a terrible mistake."

"Having me on a stealth mission was a terrible mistake," Jaune replied dryly. "They want an out from all this and they can provide us with more man power. Especially since they gave me some Intel on who is running the base now."

"Who is it?"

"One of Alain's many mercenaries, Apache Minos."

"D-Did you just say Apache Minos?" Ozpin asked stuttering slightly.

"Yeah, is there something that I don't know that you do?" Jaune asked looking at Adam. He shrugged, as he didn't know about the man either.

"Apache Minos, also known as the Dread Bull. They say he's a Grimm with a Soul. He's known to attack military facilities and bases just for kicks and almost always come out of it unscathed. The man is a monster." Ozpin explained.

Jaune gulped. "Is there anything you can tell me about him that could help?"

"Well…it's just a rumor, but…"

::::

"Alright, according to Mr. O, we got four Bullhorns inbound," Launchpad said with a grin. "All we need to wait for them and we're golden."

"Thanks Launchpad," Emerald told the cheerful man.

"No problemo!"

"So what do we do now?" Blake questioned. She had calmed down after slapping Fox, and apologized to the boy.

"You can all come with me to see our leader," They looked to see a few dozen people with Grimm masks on. At first they looked like White Fang members, but then Blake and Emerald realized they were wearing black hoods instead of white. "Don't make any sudden moves. We're under orders to bring you to our base by our leader, where you will be joining him in the upcoming conflict."

"Why would we join you?" Fox asked narrowing his eyes.

"Because your friend, Jaune, is. He understands the severity of the situation and has offered to assist us in separating from the monsters who call themselves "The White Fang"." The speaker said with a grin. "We are no long apart of that group anymore."

"I don't believe you," Blake said her eyes narrowing.

"It doesn't matter if you believe us or not, we have you surrounded, and we would rather handle this peacefully and not gain the ire of Jaune Arc."

"Alright," Emerald said, gaining looks from Fox, Launchpad, and Blake.

"Emerald-"

"Listen Blake, we don't know if they're being truthful or not, but what we do know is that they have Jaune, they have us out numbered, and I'm pretty sure we can't risk Launchpad's life because of a moment of indecision."

Fox sighed. "She's right."

Blake glared at them for a second before sighing. "Fine…"

"Good. We have a transport nearby. Please follow us."

::::

It didn't take long for them to make it to their destination. Emerald, Blake, Fox, and Launchpad realized that they were being taken into Loamstol's City Hall. They said nothing as they were lead into the building. Once inside, their eyes widen as they saw Jaune, still alive and not bound, being poked at by the girl Fox claimed ambushed them. Standing nearby was Roman Torchwick, who looked amused, and another man who Blake recognized instantly.

"Oh hey guys, bout time you showed up," Jaune said before he gently grabbed the girl's hand. "Alright Neo, I'm fine. You did a good job finishing the job Glynda and Cinder did." The girl smile and nodded. They watched as she made some hand signs towards Jaune, and he reciprocated. The girl nodded again and left.

"Jaune, what's going on?" Fox asked confused.

"Guys, meet…" He stopped and looked at unknown man. "What do you guys call yourselves now?"

"The Shadow Fang Movement," the man replied. "We're what's left of the White Fang members who only wanted peace between Humans and Faunus."

"That's a laugh considering how you were, Adam." Blake sneered, her eyes narrowing.

"It's good to see you too, Blake." Adam replied dryly.

Jaune looked back and forth between the two. "I take it you two know each other?"

Blake froze for a moment. She realized that she never told Jaune she used to be a part of the White Fang. She began to panic for a moment as she tried to think how to somehow fix this problem.

"She was my partner," Adam said obvious to Blake's plight. "She left the White Fang for the same reasons we're breaking off today."

"Ah okay," Jaune said nodding. Seeing the shocked look on Blake's face he shrugged. "You thought I was going to be mad or freak out?" She nodded. "Blake do you remember what I told everyone back in the training room that day, about Ozpin?"

She thought back to that day as she tried to remember what was said.

_**Ozpin knew the entire time. You see, Ozpin knows everything about all his students, including me and you. He knows every little dirty secret we have.**_

Her eyes widen at that as Jaune smiled. "I see that you remembered. I don't have a problem with your past, with anyone's past. You know how I feel, and that'll never change."

Blake smiled, happy that her boyfriend didn't think less of her. "Ah, young love." Roman sneered. "Listen, as much as I like a sappy romance story, we need to get a move on. The longer we wait the more chances Minos has to prepare himself, as I'm sure he's realized by now that we've betrayed him."

Jaune nodded as Neo came back, carrying his sword. He accepted it, giving the girl a smile. "Thanks Neo, and you're right Roman." He turned to the meandering Shadow Fang members. "Listen up people. We have a small window of opportunity. Now I know a lot of you probably don't want to fight your friends, and they do out number us two to one. But we need to assault their base. My troops are in bound and their numbers will bolster our own, we just need to hold out for…ten minutes. Can you all do that?" He got a cheer for his words. He put his helmet back on, motioning for his team to do so as well. "Shadow Fang…roll out!"

**End of Chapter 13**


	16. Chapter 14

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_This is it people, the last chapter of the Before the War Arc. Afterwards I'll probably do some filler because looking back, it's needed, but it'll be good filler. _

_Neo hasn't been confirmed for the Harem…yet…maybe…I'm already stretching things, but I'm having fun doing so, and you guys seem to enjoy it a bit._

_Before I begin this chapter, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, alerted, and favored this story. It has been an amazing ride so far, and I'm glad you all are enjoying it for what it is. _

"_**Born…into a pack…there's no choice…but take orders to attack. Locked up in chains…I get fed…but the hunger still…"**_

**Chapter 14 - Remains**

Jaune grimaced as he slashed through several Grimm, his words painfully echoing through his mind.

"_He might have the mind of a military genius, but he's also vain…"_

At some point, he forgot how much of a genius he was. Somehow, Alain had gathered a multitude of Grimm from the surrounding area and forced them into the main floor of the facility. He would even say the underground were full of Grimm as well. The two things that bothered him were how Alain managed to do so, and how many were there. Although they were Grimm, they were also wearing out his meager troops. They were only thirty plus strong and the Grimm seemed endless.

"Jaune!" Jaune turned to see Fox and Adam to his right, fighting off a few giant Beowolves. "We might need to retreat!"

"That might be the case, but all we need is to find where they're coming from and close it off!" Jaune replied cutting the head off a Ursa.

"Easier said than done! We've been at this for five minutes now," Adam split several of the smaller Beowolves in half. "We haven't moved since we burst through the doors and they keep coming."

Jaune looked at the endless amount of Grimm that seemed to keep spawning and growled. "I was saving this," Jaune said sheathing his sword. He then began forming a weapon with his Semblance. Fox and Adam watched as the weapon formed in his hands. Fox recognized the weapon easily. "Bitches love cannons!" He yelled as he opened fire.

Jaune had formed an ethereal version of Coco's chain gun, and had begun mowing down the army of Grimm in front of them. The Shadow Fang cheered as they used this chance to push forwards. Fox stared dumbly at Jaune.

'_When did he ever see Coco use that thing?' _he wondered confused before he too began pushing forward.

Meanwhile Blake and Emerald were dealing with any of the stragglers that got past the main forces, as well as protecting the main base. Jaune had once again had them hang back, much to their ire. Even more so that Roman was with them, as Jaune claimed that even with his firework launcher, he wouldn't be able to keep up. Roman was slightly miffed by that remark, but held his tongue.

'_If they want to die for my sake, who am I to disagree.' _He thought to himself. Launchpad was on a radio trying to hail the incoming Bullheads to direct them to the main base as per Jaune's order. By coming to the Main Base, they were clear from the sniper's shot, as Adam had told Jaune where the shot had originated from.

"Hello, can anyone read me up there?" Launchpad radioed.

"This is Martini, who the hell are you and how you get this frequency?"

"This is Launchpad. Martini, what's your heading?"

"We're about six clicks from target location, at about cherub three." Martini replied.

"Drop down to cherub and swing into the city, unless you and your flight is NFOD."

"Well my fun meter is pegged. Any reason why?"

"Target location might have AAA; Bent my bird while she was at Cherub two."

"Shit, wasn't your bird that stealth vehicle?"

"Yeah, and my cargo had to punch out. You just past my smoking hole not too long ago. Listen drop your cargo at the City Center, warp one. Sierra Hotel."

"Understood."

::::

Ruby noticed that the Bullheads were changing course slightly. She went up to the Pilot to see what was wrong. The answer she got was the one all the leaders were told when they asked the question.

"We got word of a forward base we can drop you off at. The intended destination is too dangerous for a Bullhorn, so we're playing it safe."

As the got closer to the City Center, they could hear yelling and fighting from the distance. Ruby turned her gaze at the mining facility to see Grimm pouring out of it, and people fighting the Grimm. The Bullheads slowly came in for a hovering drop off, and all sixty students landed. Who greeted them was someone they did not expect.

"Great! More children," Roman said sighing.

"Torchwick!" Ruby said pointing her scythe at the criminal.

Roman raised his hands as if he was being held up. "Take it easy Little Red, I'm on your side for now." Roman told her. "I am under orders from a mutual acquaintance of ours to make sure this place was clear for landing."

She was about to retort when she heard a familiar voice yell, "Any time you want to come and help Torchwick, we got Deathstalkers inbound!"

"Blake!" Ruby called.

"Oh good, you all made it!" Emerald replied. "Now we might have a fighting chance."

"What's going on?" Jerejima demanded.

"Long story short, Roman and a small section of the White Fangs defected, joined up with us, and now somehow there's Grimm pouring out of the mining facility," Launchpad said. "Jaune, Fox, and the leader of the defectors are fighting the Grimm at the source, but we don't know how long they'll last."

"You kiddies better run along and provide backup. There are still bad guys on top of the sudden Grimm swarm and our allies might be running out of juice," Roman explained.

"Very well. Coco, Ruby, take your people and assist with the forward push. The rest of us will be right behind you cleaning up the stragglers." Jerejima ordered. "We link up with Jaune and finish this."

The troops cheered and began rushing towards the base. Jerejima looked at Roman. "You try anything, I break you."

"I wouldn't put it past you, big guy." Roman said not afraid of the muscle bound teen.

::::

Jaune spun his blade into a reverse grip and carved through several Grimm. To his sides, several members of the Shadow Fang, Fox, and Adam were decimating the Grimm insurgence. He scowled as more soon filled the gaps that they carved into. This was simply not working, and what made things worse was that they have YET to run into a single member of the White Fang or Minos. He was getting tired, his Aura spent powering up the fake version of Coco's Weapon, and he wasn't the only one.

Jaune hissed as his moment of inattentiveness left him with a nasty claw on his Shield Arm. He mentally groaned, as what little effectiveness his Aura had on him slowly closed the wound. He gave his dancing partner a matching wound, only it couldn't heal back the missing arm it now had.

'_Shit…we need those reinforcements badly or all they'll be finding is Grimm and corpses,' _Jaune thought as he readied his sword once more. Another wave was coming; he could hear their roar and charging footsteps. He steeled himself for one more battle. He looked over to his allies. They were readying themselves as well. Jaune prepared himself when the first Alpha Beowolf came lunging at him

-Bang-

Jaune's eyes widen as the beast suddenly flew backwards, dead before hitting the ground. Suddenly before his eyes was a familiar red hood. Looking around him were familiar faces. A small grin grew onto his tired face. He soon fell to a knee, Crocea Mors stabbing into the ground, propping him up. The Grimm stood there watching the new comers wearily. The new prey that appeared looked fresh. They'd have to work hard to get them.

"What took you guys? You almost miss the party." He said tiredly.

"Oh you know, we had to accessorize, find the right bullet for the right occasion," Yang chirped, the humor in her voice did not detract from her burning red eyes. She was upset, most likely at him.

"Oh is that all," Jaune replied as he slowly got up. He drew his sword once more. "You know you gals don't need to get all gussied up for this party. Except you Ren, you could use more blush."

"Funny," Ren commented with a grin.

"You gals can chew my ass out later; we need to close off whatever is flooding this area with Grimm. So do what you do best," Jaune ordered. "Shadow Fang, Fox, Adam…take five and let the professionals do their job."

Nothing more was said as thirty new combatants took to the field, and began to clean house. The Shadow Fang members watched in awe as the Huntsmen and Huntresses made short work of the Grimm, and was actually pushing them back.

"I-Is this the strength of a Huntsman?" A member close to Jaune asked shocked. Jaune nodded. "What was I missing when I dropped out my school...Their weapons and skills are amazing."

"It's a little more than just their weapon and skill," Jaune began narrating as his peers continue to slaughter the Grimm. "When you attend schools like Beacon, they sort you into teams. The people on your team are you friends, family, and partners for the next four years. You learn a lot about them, from personal stuff, to non-personal stuff like their weapons, fighting styles…and as a team you learn how to synergize with them. Every four hunters you see there is a weapon, tempered by comradery, and forged in the heat of battle. And it gets better."

"It does?"

Jaune smiled. "Yes. Just because you're put on a team of four, doesn't mean you can't learn and grow from other teams. In reality, Teams grow together, and bonds are formed. Those bonds are what make us stronger. With those bonds, we can accomplish anything."

Adam watched as Blake and what he assumed was her team take down large Grimm with practiced ease. He watched as she and the Schnee child coordinate expertly, combining their abilities to form devastating combos. He watched as another Faunus, a rabbit one, team up with her own team and wipe out more Grimm, and it was then he had a moment of clarity. The Schnee girl had to have known Blake was a faunus and yet she worked with Blake with ease. Even more so, Blake was a former White Fang member, and she had no problems with working with the Schnee heiress. To them, their heritage only got in the way of what needed to be done. Adam gripped his weapon as he felt shame wash over him. Despite the circumstances, he still hated humans for what they done, and he still hated the Schnee family for their treatment of Faunus.

But to the generation before him, petty grudges of the old did not matter to them. They wanted to end the suffering Alain had caused, that they, the White Fang have caused. He willed himself onto his feet, having fallen into a resting position when reinforcements arrived.

Jaune looked over the masked man, and Adam felt the glaze of his temporary ally. Adam nodded, and he and Jaune began moving towards the battle field. They walked past their fighting allies. The Grimm immediately targeted them, only to be taken down with power timed strokes of their sword. But they did not stop moving. Soon the teams joined them, pushing the Grimm back farther and farther. Jaune caught something in the corner of his eye.

"Ruby, Eleven O'clock!" Jaune said. She turned her gun and fired at the object he pointed out. The Grimm slowly stopped attacking, realizing that their tactics were failing and their numbers had diminished significantly. The Allied Forces watched as the Grimm retreated back into a hole. Jaune eyed a control panel near it and formed a throwing knife with his Semblance. He hurled the Knife at the control panel shutting the door for good. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Well that's over with…" Mercury said stretching. "What's next?"

"Well there is still sixty or so White Fang members," Adam commented as he leaned against the wall. "And then there's the big man himself…"

"Great…" Mercury grunted.

Pyrrha went over to Jaune and guided him over to a wall for him to rest as well. "H-hey, I'm fine…" Jaune weakly protested.

"You could've fooled me," She replied with a frown. "I can barely feel your Aura, and you have the most out of all of us."

Jaune only could sigh. He couldn't argue with her, not now. "Help me out of my Armor please…" He whispered. Pyrrha smiled and helped him. Jaune let out a sigh of relief. "Ah…sweet cold air."

Pyrrha looked at the wound on his arm. "Does it sting?"

"No...The only time I felt it was when I got hit." Jaune admitted. "I'll be fine…I just need to rest and regenerate my Aura a bit."

Weiss came up to him and handed him a ration bar. "That should help."

"Field Rations, you girls spoil me," Jaune said smiling. Weiss rolled her eyes but smiled as he ate the food bar. "Thanks…I should be fine in a bit."

"So what's the plan?" Coco asked getting everyone's attention.

Jaune closed his eyes. "I think we should split up the units. Ruby's Unit should go with Nilima's. Coco's with Jerejima's. There should be a stairwell to the north and to the south. It's not ideal, but I'm pretty sure they have control of the functions of the building." Jaune looked at Adam. "What's above here?"

"The Processing Plant, and before you ask, above that, the offices." Adam explained. "The building was designed so that miners could easily enter and exit the building, but a lot of the process was hidden. I also heard there is a hidden elevator that goes directly to the offices, though I never found it."

Jaune blinked. "Why would they need a hidden elevator of all things?"

"Usually to impress dignitaries," Weiss commented.

"I see…" Jaune said nodding. "In any event, I'll leave the movements of the Shadow Fang up to them."

"We'll split up and join the two groups of units," Adam replied.

Jaune was about to say something else but the wall behind him opened up. He yelped as he fell back into the secret compartment, and the doors closed quickly. Everyone blinked.

Yang sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "How…"

"Topical Arc Luck?" Ruby offered.

"We don't have time to discuss Jaune's poor luck," Jerejima said frowning. "The first group will clear out the Processing Plant, and the second will clear the offices, just like Jaune said."

"Right!"

::::

Minos grinned at his luck. He had pegged the blond one for being the leader, and wouldn't he know that the boy would be leaning against the hidden elevator. Minos wasn't a tactician, but he could pick out a leader in a crowd. With that in mind, he reached at his throat.

Nearby White Fang members watched as Minos removed a piece of metal from his throat. Those close to him could see Dust running through it. It didn't matter though, as he crushed it in his hands.

Minos turned to the White Fang member who had been reporting to him and giving other orders. "I want you to leave me with ten of your men. You can take the rest and crush those fools." Minos ordered.

"Sir? Only ten?"

"Ten is all that is needed. Besides, that boy had a Schnee with him. This would be good for you, yes?"

Behind his mask, the White Fang leader grinned maliciously. "A Schnee! Finally we can silence their line!"

"Go, and kill well." Minos ordered. The man saluted the hulking beast of a man and ordered ten of his men to follow his orders. He then ordered his men to the Processing Plant.

Minos turned to the ten men he was left with. "Go to the offices, that's where the Elevator ends. Do not worry about reinforcements; I collapsed the stairwell leading up to them on the North Side. They'll have to cut through the Processing Plant."

"Sir!"

"Now go! Kill their leader!" The men left the room quickly. Minos began to chuckle. "Cut the head, and the body dies…"

::::

Jaune groaned as the elevator ride seemed to slightly trigger his motion sickness. He was still sitting on the ground, too tired to move.

'_Ugh…I can't take any more of this…' _He lamented. _'I wish whatever is going on with my Aura would stop! At this rate…' _He didn't say anything to Pyrrha and the others because he knew how much they were going to worry.

Ever since he began this mission…and maybe even before that, his Aura had been slowly decreasing, as if he was being sucked dry. At first it didn't bother him, as he's fought without using his Aura before.

But now of all times, his Aura was imperative. He spent most of it killing the Grimm, and now he was being whisked away to what he could assume a trap. He promised his loves he'd be okay, but now he was worrying he might die.

'_**You won't die…because I won't let you…' **_Jaune's eyes widen at that familiar voice.

'Morganna?'

'_**Yes, my dear descendant, it is I. I decided to make myself known as you are alone now.'**_

'What's going on with my Aura?' Jaune asked. 'I feel so drained.'

'_**As you should…because I've been draining you.'**_ Jaune felt a cold shiver go through his body. _**'It was needed as I am forcing the curse to evolve. Since you insist on fighting and maintaining a relationship, I decided to strip you of your weak White Aura, and give you the much more powerful Black Aura.'**_

'Y-You! I will never use that cursed Aura!' Jaune rebuked.

'_**You have no choice. Even now of all times, you have no choice.'**_ Jaune bit back a curse. She was right. He didn't have the luxury of refusing her. Soon this elevator would stop and he'll be at the mercy of his enemies. _**'I'm glad you see it my way.' **_

Jaune said nothing as a warm feeling flooded his being. He could feel his newest wound heal immediately. Staring at the far wall, he could see his reflection. His blue eyes were gone, replaced with blood red eyes. 'W-what the…'

'_**They are merely cosmetic, do not worry. They suit you though.'**_ Morganna commented. _**'Now let me tell you one crucial thing about your Black Aura.'**_ Jaune was listening, not like he had a choice_**. 'Unlike other colored Aura, Black Aura refills slowly. You can speed it up by using your Semblance to form Dark Weapons to strike your foes. Your Semblance allows you to strike at their Aura and the Black Aura devours the other colored Auras.'**_

'That sounds…'

'_**Vampiric? Do not worry, dear Jaune. Aura is Aura, only the intent matters.'**_ Morganna assured him. _**'You want to protect your loves and defeat your enemy?'**_

'M…More than anything…' Jaune replied softly.

'_**Then take this power and crush your foes.' **_She commanded.

Jaune said nothing as he stood up, refreshed. He formed Crocea Mors using his Black Aura. He noted that the blade was different when he formed it with his White Aura. With White Aura, it was solid, elegant, a perfect replica. With the Black Aura, the blade seemed less organic, looking more like energy than metal, no less there than the alternative. The elevator stopped and Jaune stepped off. He spotted two White Fang members coming down the hall at impressive speed.

"**Forgive me my loves…"** Jaune murmured his voice augmented by the Black Aura. **"But death awaits the hesitant, and I can't falter, not even now!"**

Jaune charged at the two men. Someone was about to die, and it wasn't going to be him.

::::

Meanwhile with the Army, it was nearly pandemonium. They had made it to the processing plant only to find the White Fang waiting for them. Soon what followed was something they were training for:

A bloody battle.

Ruby growled as her opponent blocked another blow from her scythe. She simply did not have enough room between the machinery and giant vats to maneuver like she used to. She ducked a strike and planted a kick into the larger man's ribs. She switched to gun mode and quickly fired on the man, killing him instantly.

Yang made it over to her, having blown her opponent's head off with a well-placed shot with Ember Celica. "This is crazy! They slightly out number us, and they have the advantage. What should we do?"

Nilima flipped over to them, having to dodge her opponent's attack. "Well you two took out your enemies, mind helping me with mine?"

Just from those words alone, a plan formed within Ruby's mind. There was a reason why she was made team leader of Team Ruby, and Jaune's replacement if anything happened to him. She too had a tactical mind, able to think of a plan on the fly, in the heat of battle. It didn't help that her Semblance somewhat affected her mind, having her think faster than normal. "I got it. Yang, help Nilima with her enemy. We lack the numbers, but we do have the teamwork ingrained into us by Beacon."

"Double and triple team a single target," Nilima agreed. "Good plan. Let's go Yang!"

"Right!"

The three girls split off to help the others with their fights. Soon the tides were changing. In less than three minutes, they had evened out the numbers quite well. Their foes soon realized however what they were doing and began imitating them, and the pressure was back on.

Meanwhile in another area, Weiss was struggling with her opponent, a tall man with a full Grimm mask. He was wielding a Chain Saw like a sword. At first she had the advantage using her Dust and Glyphs to confound her enemies, but then he broke through her offense with pure power. Weiss eyes widen as she was snatched out of the air and slammed into the ground, creating a crater.

"Time to die, little Schnee." The man intoned gleefully. Weiss groaned as she tried to move away from the man. He raised his weapon to strike her down, only to stop as a blade pierced his armor and sequentially his heart. Weiss watched in shock as the man fell over, dead, and behind him was a cheerful pink and brown haired girl, sheathing an estoc inside of a umbrella.

The girl offered her hand, and Weiss took it. "T-Thank you."

The girl nodded and began to do hand signs. Weiss eyes widen as she realized it was Sign Language.

[It was my pleasure. Jaune asked me to watch over his loves.] Neo told Weiss. Weiss nodded. She was a bit rusty but she got the basics of what Neo was signing.

"W-Who are you?" She asked.

[My name is Neopolitan, but my friends call me Neo, and I want to be with Jaune.] Neo explained. Weiss eyes widen at that declaration.

"Why? I've never seen you at Beacon so I can only assume that you just met him."

[There is something about him, I can't describe it. When he smiles at me, I feel warm, safe, like I don't have to worry about anything as he will protect me no matter what.] Neo was blushing as she told this to Weiss.

"I see…" Weiss shook her head. "Look this isn't the place for us to be talking. We need to help our allies." Neo nodded and motioned Weiss to follow her. They had a job to do after all.

::::

Jaune tried to keep the grin off his face, the bloodlust seeping into his psyche. He made his way from the offices, behind him, ten dead bodies bloodied and dismembered. He couldn't afford to lose it here. He had a job to do. He climbed the stairwell up a few floors before one of the doors he passed opened for him. Looking inside the room, he realized it was barren, except for the large man standing there with a Giant Hammer.

"So…you arrived…and look at all that blood…did you really have to kill my men in such a brutal fashion?" The man asked. "Don't bother, I saw the whole thing…you really are Master Alain's cousin. Such brutality, much carnage…"

"You must be Apache Minos." Jaune commented, getting a nod from the man. "Where is Alain?"

"Ah you shouldn't worry about my master now. His plan is almost complete now." Minos said. Then he grinned. "But if you're curious, I'll tell you, as it will be the last thing you'll hear before I kill you." Jaune said nothing. "Master Alain had ordered the rest of my brethren and the Army he gathered to march onto Vacuo. Even as we speak, Vacuo is falling, and soon we will have our own Kingdom to fight a war with."

"You can't be serious?!" Jaune countered. "He would have to have a massive army at his disposal! If he already had it, why would he need the White Fang?"

"Why would you ask something you already knew?"

Jaune cursed. _'Damn it! He played them! He didn't care for their goals. They were expendable!' _

"I see that you understand now," Minos chuckled darkly. "Do not worry though. Even if you survive, there is nothing you can do."

"There is something I can do," Jaune said forming Shadow Mors once more. "I can kill you."

"You can try!" Minos roared has he swung his hammer down, causing a shock wave of energy to fly at Jaune. Jaune leaped over it, and with his free hand formed throwing knives and tossed it at the man. Minos brought up his Hammer to block, but was surprised it went through his Hammer and stuck into his arm. "Arg! I was right! There is more to you! Good! Give me a good fight, ARC!"

::::

As soon as Coco and Jerejima's unit came in, it became a massacre. Suddenly outnumbered and outgunned, the White Fang began dropping like flies. It didn't take long for the remaining few to surrender, demoralized by the sudden shift in battle.

The teams assess their loses and were surprised to find only a good portion of their teams were severely injured. Out of sixty students, twenty-eight of them were injured, mainly because of the recklessness of their enemies.

Wild suicide charges were something they were not prepared for.

Adam looked over the Shadow Fang members and was saddened that he lost half of his allies. A female Faunus came up to him, holding her side, injured. "Don't be sad, Commander. We knew what we were getting ourselves into when we defected with you. The fighting is over now."

"She's right," Blake said coming over to him. "You can honor our fallen brothers and sisters by starting over, working towards our goal of true equality, just like how your father wanted."

The forces looked over to Adam who began chuckling. "You know, when I took over the White Fangs, I told my old man that his ways were weak, that they had no common place in our world. That his humble attitude won't solve our problems." A lot of them were surprised to see tears falling from behind his mask. "But then I overheard what Jaune said to one of our men, how bonds make us stronger, and how you all can achieve much more working together than working alone. My father told me that once, and to hear it come from a Human…" He looked over to his allies with a smile. "I don't know about you, brothers and sisters of the Shadow Fang, but I want to see these bonds Jaune Arc and my father spoke of. I want to see if they will allow us to achieve what we truly desire. That's why I'll be returning with him back to Beacon."

"We'll follow you Commander. I too wish to see these bonds he spoke of…" The Faunus agreed with a smile.

"That's all well and good, but where is Jaune?" Ruby asked. "I thought you guys were heading up to the offices?"

Jerejima frowned. "The stairwell were mangled and bent, forming a barrier that prevented us from proceeding. We could not make it up there. Be glad we didn't, as together we achieved victory."

"Victory is nice," Velvet said with a frown. "But my cousin is still missing, we need to find him."

Suddenly one of the prisoners began laughing. "Oh that blonde idiot? Minos wanted him." Adam paled and quickly grabbed the man by his shirt. "Oi, what's your damage Taurus, we already surrendered."

"Explain what you mean by that!"

"Oh? Minos wanted to kill your precious human leader himself, so he blocked off all access to the offices, just to get at him. Even as we speak, Minos is ripping your human leader apart!" the man cheered darkly.

Adam growled and pushed the man away. "Adam what's wrong?" Blake questioned.

"You weren't there when Ozpin briefed Jaune and I about Apache Minos. That man is a monster, as no conventional weapon can touch him. The man spends his free times testing his strength by attacking military bases." Everyone paled at Adam's words. "We wouldn't be able to do anything to help Jaune, if the rumors about him are true."

"What rumors?" Weiss questioned angrily.

"His Semblance is Magnetism. He's gotten so proficient with it, that he can reflect swords and bullets without even waving a hand."

::::

Minos roared in pain as Jaune tried to cut through his massive wrists to sever his hand. In retaliation, Minos swung his hammer into the surprised Jaune.

-Crunch- Jaune flew into the wall, cracking it slightly. His entire left side was screaming in pain. Looking down he saw his left arm hanging limply at his side. _'It's always the shield arm,' _ he thought annoyed as his Aura soothed pain. He couldn't let it heal because he was pretty sure it was shattered at this point.

"Give up boy and taste defeat! You're crippled!" Minos jeered.

"Yeah, and you're ugly," Jaune retorted. "That doesn't stop you though."

Minos roared as he slammed his hammer down to produce another shockwave. Unfortunately for him and Jaune, the structural integrity of the floor had gone way past the point of being okay, so they were surprised when the floor broke instantly. Jaune, having jumped once more, found himself falling above the mad man as they fell into the Processing Plant. Those below them scrambled as debris fell from the sky.

Jaune didn't think twice however summoning a large amount of his Aura to form a Giant Blade with his Semblance. Minos's eyes widen as he hit the floor only to be impaled by a blade half as tall as he is, nearly bisecting him. The blade continued through him as Jaune rode kept pressing down on the blade until he was sure it was lodged deep enough into the man. Backing off from his work, his allies gasped at his limp arm. His ladies and Velvet were also shocked at the color of the blade, as it was dark gray and gave off black wisps.

"Checkmate…" Jaune said looking at the dying Minos.

"Hehehehe it doesn't matter. My Master's plan has already be completed. If I die here, it doesn't matter." Mino taunted as he took his last breaths.

Jaune flared his Aura, surprising those who knew him even more as his Aura was black, and shattered the massive blade. "We're done here. Gather the wounded, this mission was a failure."

"Wait what?!" Coco yelled. She stomped over to Jaune and grabbed his shirt. "Explain to me how this mission was a failure?"

"We all got played. Vale, The White Fang, Roman…all of us fell for his plan." Jaune explained tiredly. "Alain's target wasn't Vale and Vale city. He's assaulting Vacuo." Several gasps were heard. "And judging by what Minos told me, he's already succeeded. By distracting us, Vacuo, who has the least military strength, was an easy target, and the closest allies they have was us." Coco let Jaune go in shock. "We might have won this battle, but the cost of victory was too high."

::::

A few hours later, several Bullhorns flew into the City of Loamstol to ferry the wounded. After explaining their intentions, Ozpin told Adam that he would allow them to work with Beacon on several conditions.

Jaune told Ozpin what Minos had told him and after a few calls, it was confirmed. Vacuo was under the control of the Einherjar Army, an army ran by Alain himself. A force of five-hundred strong had stormed the capital of Vacuo and in one night, took control over the entire Kingdom.

Their moods were low after hearing that, Jaune seemingly suffering the most. After getting his Arm looked at, he refused to talk to anyone, including his girlfriends, teammates, Neo, and Velvet. Jaune couldn't face them, not after giving in so easily to the Black Aura, something he vowed never to use.

::::

'_**You're brooding again, my dear descendant.'**_ Morganna teased as she formed an Aura Body and wrapped her arms around him. _**'Tell me what's wrong?'**_

'You know exactly what's wrong. Give me back my Aura.' Jaune said to her growling.

'_**You don't need that weak Aura when mine makes you feel so good,'**_ Morganna whispered in his mind_**. 'Give in to the darkness in your hear Jaune. You can solve all your problems with it…'**_

'No…' Morganna's eyes widen as she felt something pierce her body. Looking down she could feel a blade sticking into her body, draining her of her very essence. 'I don't think I will. As long as you hold control over my White Aura, I will never feel complete.'

'_**Y-you!'**_

'I won't lie,' Jaune told her as he coughed up blood, having stabbed himself to get to her. 'The Black Aura made me feel good, real good. But as long as you hold my White Aura hostage, you control me. And I don't like being controlled by the likes of you.'

'_**I-I'll g-get you…'**_ Morganna declared weakly as she tried to resist the pull of his devouring Aura.

'No you won't. You see, you're a part of the curse that latched onto my Aura, and since I have this nice, all devouring Aura, I thought to myself "Why don't I just devour the curse"?' Jaune grinned darkly as he felt more and more of her essence leave him, being consumed by his own darkness. 'I need both my Darkness and Light. Without them, I am nothing.'

'_**C-Curses…I let…myself…fall…for another…Arc…'**_ Morganna whispered as she faded away for good. Jaune could no longer hear her whispers and promises of power, nor could he hear the curse sing for blood and glory. His mind was clear.

He pulled the sword out of his body, the wound healing nearly instantly. Pulling Crocea Mors from its sheath, he looked at his eyes.

'One red eye and one blue eye. One eye to see the pure future and another to see the dark past.' Jaune mused. He decided to return back with the others.

His job was done here, but the War was soon coming.

**End of Chapter 14**


	17. Chapter 15

_**Mightier Than The Sword**_

_Woo…So yeah, how's it going guys? It's going well? Badly? Well let me know, I want to answer all your questions on that onsite forums I created – The Pen. It's been moved to the RWBY section so it'll be easier to find. Ask me questions and I'll answer them. Recently I just pointed out all the References and Easter Eggs in the Codex Arc there so check that out!_

_Now that we've done with the Loamstol Arc (YES finally have an name for it!), we can start the Closer Arc (named after the Naruto Song, search on youtube (Closer AmaLee & PelleK for a really REALLY good cover of the song in English). I called this Arc Filler because I know for a fact that A lot of you want to get to the War Arc, or as at least the first part of it, but there's a lot of things I want to address and I bet a lot of you are curious about certain characters, relationships, and other stuff._

_And yes before I get reviews, post Loamstol Arc Jaune DOES bear a resemblance to a certain character. I think I like this change. His previous look made him look a little like Yuki Terumi from Blaz Blue, which was my intention. Now he looks different. _

_So sit back and enjoy the first chapter in the Closer Arc._

**Chapter 15 – The Party**

**It's been nearly a Month since that faithful mission…that mission that changed everything for the world. Once word got out that one of the four Great Kingdoms had fell, everything changed.**

**The world was preparing for conflict on a Global Scale. The students…no my army were dismissed as they didn't want us "kids" interfering with adult business. I scoffed at them. Especially when they found out that I was an Arc.**

**I told them that I would not participate in any missions, meetings, or anything else unless my Army was allowed to fight.**

**Heh…my army. Listen to me…Things have changed haven't they?**

**It wasn't long ago when I simpering within this book, worried if my loves would return their affection, and yet here I am, still writing about a conflict that has yet to happen and how excited I am about it.**

**My loves…I haven't seen them ever since the mission. We all went our separate ways to make sure our families were okay. Honestly, I was avoiding them. I couldn't face them, not after what Morganna did to me.**

**Honestly I feel…content with my situation. I was given a small apartment by the Council as Beacon has been shut down for renovations. They're turning my beloved school into a military base. Ozpin assured us that it'll still teach children how to be Huntsmen and Huntresses in the future, but for now…**

**::::**

Jaune put down his pen and closed his Codex. _'I don't think things will ever return to normal._' He mused as he put away his precious book. He got up, being careful not to jostle his arm.

'_Minos really left his mark on my Arm didn't he? I can't believe how badly he wrecked my Arm. The doctors told me that'll be a while before I can use it again.' _Jaune huffed annoyed. His arm was too damaged to be healed with his Aura, either of them actually, so he had to let it heal normally. Luckily his bones weren't turned to powder, so the recovery time was long, but too long for his tastes.

Looking at the clock on the wall, he realized he would be late. Today was the day that he promised Ruby and Yang he'd come visit them on Patch Island, their home Island, for a party of all things. It took him awhile but he got dressed in his new clothing. He was still wearing those Black shirt, boots, and pants, but now instead of a hoodie or hooded cloak, he wore a long white coat that he bought with the money his Moms sent him. He kept his damaged arm in the sling as he hid it inside the coat. It was weird, getting used to only using one arm to do everything. Then again, he had been fighting with one arm so it wasn't that much of a stretch.

Another thing he took to wearing was an eye patch. He kept his red eye covered at all times. He had his reasons, but it made him look cool and that was a definitely a bonus.

Speaking of which, he would need to get a new weapon made as he, according to his father, was no long worthy of wielding Crocea Mors. He knew the words his father wanted to really say.

_'You're no longer worthy of the Arc name.'_

Jaune snorted at that thought. His father was just mad that he now had the Black Aura along side of his White Aura. Jaune, himself, regretted having fallen for Morganna's trap and sequentially giving in to his darker side, but he didn't care about that anymore. Morganna was right, despite her intentions. Aura was Aura, and what you did with that Aura was what defined you. To the people of Vale, despite what happened in Vacuo, he was a hero or so they say. Which was a lot better than what his father was touting. With that said, he no longer wore the Arc Family Armor either, having fought without it, and having two Auras made him slightly more resilient than the normal person. Breaking away from how the average Arc looked like was liberating. He now had his own identity. And thus, he needed a new weapon. Maybe something similar to what Yatsuhashi wields. Maybe a bit longer instead of wider. He'd have to think about it.

Jaune quietly exited his apartment, locking the door behind him. He looked to his right. "How long have you been there?" Phasing into existence was Neo. He didn't know how she found out where he lived, but he enjoyed spending time with the mute girl. He was surprised to know she wanted to date him, but he didn't argue. Like Pyrrha had told him so long ago, he should allow them to make their own choices. He didn't turn the girl down, instead he decided to see if they could have a relationship. So far, there hadn't been any problems.

[Not too long, maybe a few minutes.] She signed to him.

Jaune hummed for a bit. "I suppose you'll be my escort then, Lady Neo?"

Neo silently giggled and gently took his hand and began leading him out the building and to the sky docks, where they would be flying over to Patch.

::::

Meanwhile at the sky docks, three individuals were waiting for the next Airship to Patch. The first was a male Faunus with blond hair and dark gray eyes. He wore a white shirt that he kept open showing off his chest and abs. He was wearing red and black gauntlets and blue cargo pants with combat tape around his knees, and black and yellow hightops.

The second was a male human with light blue hair and dark-blue eyes, who was wearing a white dress shirt and black tie, under a red jacket with a wide black collar. He was also wearing a pair of gray jeans with black pads strapped to them. His shoes were black with straps instead of laces and he was wearing a pair of goggles, though they rested above his eyes.

The Final person was an older male. He wore a cloak to hide his face, and most of his body, and on his back was an obscenely large backpack covered in weapons.

"You know, Master, you stick out like a sore thumb." The monkey faunus told the cloaked man.

"That's the point, Sun. If I was inconspicuous, then people would be on to me. Hiding in plain sight is good, but not when people are looking for me." The cloaked man said.

"Still you could stand to lose that giant backpack." The blue haired teen said.

"Would you part with your Trident, Neptune? All these weapons are mine, as I spent the time and effort in making them."

"Alright, good point." Neptune replied nervously.

"Why are you coming with us to Patch anyways?" Sun asked confused.

"There is someone I wish to see, someone I need to see." The man said calmly. "Do not question me about this as it's a private matter."

"The last time you told me it was a private matter, you suddenly show up at Haven Academy with half a village worth of refugees and told the Headmaster to find a place for them to stay," Neptune commented dryly. "How did you find out about what happened to Vacuo anyways?"

"I am a traveler by trade, boys, and with that comes information." The man explained. Then he spotted two individuals. "Look alive boys, we have a special visitor joining us." Both Sun and Neptune looked to see a blond teen with an eye patch and white trench coat being led by a pink and brow haired girl.

"Who are they?" Sun asked confused. The old man said nothing as he motioned the two to come closer.

When they did, their master spoke. "Greetings Jaune Arc. It is a pleasure to meet such a budding general in the making."

The blond, Jaune nodded. "Thank you…um…who are you?"

"Ah where are my manners? My name is Benkei; I am a teacher of sorts. These two numbskulls are two of my many students, Sun Wukong and Neptune Vasilias."

Jaune nodded. "As you know, I'm Jaune Arc, and this here is Neopolitan." He motioned to the smaller girl who nodded in greeting.

Benkei showed his hands and signed to the girl who eyes widen and began to sign back. Sun and Neptune looked confused while Jaune grinned. Soon they stopped and Neo looked slightly amused. "What just happened?" Neptune asked.

"That was sign language, idiot," Benkei said gruffly. "I wouldn't be a teacher if I didn't know it."

"Okay…why were you two using it then?" Sun asked.

"Neo can't speak," Jaune answered. "She never told me why, but it doesn't matter to me in the least." The girl beamed at Jaune for his words.

"Oh sorry," the boys said apologetic.

Neo signed to them. "She said don't worry about it. She's used to people acting like that. She shouldn't…but still." Jaune translated.

"You are as kind and wise as they say, Jaune." Benkei praised.

"I don't really get it, there are rumors about me?" Jaune asked confused.

"Of course, my boy. Word has spread far and wide about your victory in Loamstol, and how you laid Apache Minos, the Dread Bull low." Benkei explained. "You've become quite popular, especially with those who formally supported the White Fang and who now support the Shadow Fang Movement."

"I see…well I didn't do much, only what I thought was right, which apparently my father hates." Jaune finished his sentence bitterly.

"Old Ethan being stubborn again?" Benkei asked with a chuckle. Jaune eyed the man in front of him.

"You know my old man?"

"Know him; I used to attend Beacon with him so long ago." Benkei sighed. "Alas, my time at Beacon was cut short and I had to find other avenues of work."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jaune commented while trying to rack his brain _'Benkei. Beacon Academy? Who is this guy and why does he make me slightly nervous?'_

"Ah look, our ride is here," Benkei commented as the Airship docked nearby. "We're burning daylight."

::::

Meanwhile on Patch, Ruby and Yang were rushing about their house, trying to finish preparing for the party they were hosting. They had invited their team, Team Juniper, Team Coffee, Cardin, Emerald, and Mercury to this little get together and they were working overtime to make sure everything was perfect. Especially since this would be the first time they would be seeing their boyfriend in a month.

Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, Coco, Emerald, and Velvet were helping them while the boys and Nora sat off to the side with Ruby and Yang's father, Taiyang Xiao Long.

"Is it wrong that I'm jealous those girls are putting more effort in impressing that Jaune kid than they ever did for me?" Taiyang questioned.

"A little," Cardin admitted. "But Jaune is that type of guy, you know?"

"No I don't know," Taiyang grumbled.

"Wonder-boy puts his heart into everything; battle, friendship, love, the whole nine. He's honest and puts everyone above himself, even if it means hurting himself." Mercury commented taking a sip of his drink. "After Loamstol, I was going to get out of here, but I realized that I like working for Wonder-boy more than crime bosses and what not."

"Still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you and that Emerald girl used to be thieves and the fact that I let you in my house."

"Relax, we gave up that life," Mercury assured him.

"Yeah, Mercury isn't that bad of a guy, though he can be a little snarky, but that's what we like about him." Nora told the older man with a smile.

"A little?" Ren asked amused.

"Hey, I'm not that bad…am I?" Mercury asked.

"You are that bad." Emerald told him, walking past him with a dish for the party.

Mercury huffed as the others laughed at him. Taiyang smiled. Seeing his house this lively again made him happy.

::::

"So this is Patch huh…" Jaune murmured as he surveyed the city near the docks. It was a quiet little town, not unlike his own home town. He took a deep breath. _'The air is different, fresh. Clean. I could really enjoy it here.'_

"Hey Jaune!" Jaune looked towards Sun and the rest of the group who were a little ways down the road. "Get your head out of the clouds!"

Jaune hurried over to the group, "Sorry just taking in the sights."

"No problem dude," Sun replied cheerfully. "So Jaune, why did you and Neo come to Patch?"

"Oh I got invited to a party by my girlfriends," Jaune told him. Neptune and Sun stopped in their tracks.

"Girlfriends? As in more than one?" Neptune questioned.

"Seven if you include Neo here," Jaune said, with Neo nodding in agreement.

"Dude…how?" Sun asked.

"He's an Arc, Sun, he's legally allowed to have multiple spouses and girlfriends," Benkei explained amused. "Though he's already beating out his father in that regard."

"Yeah, I have four moms by marriage." Jaune admitted embarrassed.

"So tell me, Jaune, what are the names of your lucky ladies?" Benkei asked and Sun felt a bit of dread in his stomach at the answer.

"Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Pyrrha Nikos, Emerald Sustrai, and of course beautiful Neopolitan." Sun began to sulk as Neptune patted his back. Jaune looked confused. "What's wrong with him?"

"He spent most of his time talking about this "beautiful cat Faunus" he met the last time hew as in Vale and hoped she was single." Neptune commented.

"Ah…I see…" Jaune replied not really feeling bad about it. Blake was his just as much as he was hers.

The group was quiet as they made it to a large house surrounded by woods. The smell of food floated in the air and the sounds of laughter could be heard. Jaune, seeing that Sun was still pouting and Neptune was trying to cheer him up, decided to knock on the door.

::::

"Sounds like someone is at the door," Ren mentioned.

"Yang, answer the door!" Taiyang ordered.

"Why can't you do it, dad?!" Yang asked from the kitchen. She was currently chopping up peppers for a dip.

"It your party and it might be your guests! Be a good hostess!" Taiyang replied.

"Ugh fine!"

"Don't worry Yang, I'll finish this for you," Pyrrha offered.

"Thanks Pyr," Yang said grateful. She quickly wiped her hand and went to the front door and opened it. Standing in front of her was a man with shaggy blond hair and one blue eye as the other was covered with an eye patch. He had a relaxed smile on his face, which was accented by a the bit of fuzz on his chin. The man was wearing a black muscle shirt with a white trench coat over that. He was also wearing black pants and black combat boots. But despite his changed looks, she recognized this man anywhere.

"J-Jaune?!" Yang announced shocked…and with a blush. It had only been a month, since she had seen him, and he certainly had changed.

"Oui," Jaune confirmed with an amused grin. "May we come in?"

"We?" Jaune stepped to the side to allow her a better look. She could see Sun and Neo, and two others she had never seen before. "Oh sure, just go around back, we're almost done placing the food." Neo walked up to her and signed. "Sure you can help with what's left."

"You learned Sign Language as well?" Jaune asked impressed.

"Weiss thought it might be a good thing to learn." Yang commented.

::::

A short while later, Jaune, Sun, Neptune, and Benkei joined the others out back. Taiyang immediately rounded onto Jaune.

"We need to talk, boy." Taiyang said reaching for Jaune's shoulder. Ren suddenly grabbed Taiyang's arm. "What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Ren parroted. "I know you wanted to talk to him personally, but look at him."

Taiyang looked at Jaune a bit more closely. His eyes widen. "Oh…sorry, I didn't know you were still injured."

"No problem sir," Jaune told the older man. "Minos nearly powdered my left side. It'll be another few days before I'm out of this sling, and a while more before I'm combat ready."

"You really did fight and defeat Apache Minos didn't you?" Taiyang asked shocked.

"It wasn't much of a victory if you asked me," Jaune admitted with a frown. "And he kind of defeated himself, destroying the floor like that. I just capitalized on his mistake."

"As you should as a warrior," Benkei told Jaune with a grin. "Your victory over the Dread Bull should be praised, no matter how it ended. You avenged many lives that day."

Jaune sighed and smiled. "I guess you're right. Thanks Benkei."

Taiyang froze at that name. "Benkei?" Taiyang turned to the cloaked man. "Benkei."

"Taiyang. I was wondering if you'd recognized me." Benkei said amused.

"What are you doing here?" Taiyang demanded with a glare. Everyone could feel Taiyang's powerful Aura and everyone came to see what set off the normally cheerful man.

"I came here, on behalf of a mutual acquaintance of ours." Benkei explained. "I'm here for Lie Ren."

"And what would you want with me?" Ren asked his eyes narrowing.

Benkei said nothing as he backed away a bit from the guys and dropped his backpack, the ground slightly shaking as he did. He removed his cloak to reveal his appearance. Benkei was a tall, grizzled man, who wore what looked like samurai armor. The one feature that drew their attention was his Magenta eyes.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Benkei, the Thousand Arms Master of Beacon's Team EBON (Ebony), and I am here to test my son's skill in battle on the orders of his mother, Lie Rae." He announced as Ren and the others eyes widen at his announcement. Jaune's eyes narrowed at the name of the team.

'_Team Ebony…the same team Alain's father was on... Evrard Arc, Benkei, Oricalcum Graves, and Napier…' _Jaune frowned as Ren glared at the man.

One thing that was for sure, things were about to get interesting.

_**End of Chapter 15**_


	18. Chapter 16

_**Mightier Than The Sword**_

_Yay! Exposition Time! I decided this chapter will be a bit of exposition, and to explain a little more about Jaune's abilities, as well have a general recap of stuff you might of missed! Sorry fans, no Benkei fight this chapter._

**Chapter 16 – Truths**

Ren eyes narrowed at Benkei's declaration. This man before him was his errant father? The one his mother often worried about? "What the hell is this?" He demanded angrily. Nora looked at her boyfriend worriedly. Ren could get angry; she had seen him upset before. But the rage that was slowly building in his eyes, and the slowly growing of his magenta aura soon made even Pyrrha worried. Ren didn't have a lot of Aura, comparatively to the rest of his team. He was an agile fighter for a reason. "You come here looking for a fight with me, after what? Seventeen years of not being there?!"

"I had my reasons," Benkei replied coolly, almost uncaringly. "You grew up fine without me it seems."

"I grew up wondering if my father even LOVED me!" Ren yelled furiously. "What right do you have even being here, now of all times?!"

"I wonder that myself…" Benkei's eyes widen, as did everyone else's. Benkei didn't even need to look down to see the blade made of Aura resting across his chest angled near his neck, as if the owner could quickly lop off his head. The owner was Jaune, who had a lazy smile on his face as he held the Dark Aura Blade close to Benkei. His eyes were hard though, cold even, a contrast of emotions that made those who knew him shiver. Ruby however was shocked.

"Jaune! Y-you moved so fast!" She exclaimed. "You were almost a blur to me! How?!"

"Oh...that? That was my Aura Step." Jaune admitted. "I'll explain later. For now…Benkei. Surely you can understand that this is simply not the right time." Jaune told the man calmly. Benkei began to sweat and nod. He didn't know how Jaune moved that fast, or got near him undetected, but what made him even more nervous was the Black Aura the blade was made of. He was Evrard's partner after all. He knew what that stuff could do to a person.

"Y-Yeah you're right. I just got a little excited is all." Benkei told the crowd of people. "Look Ren, I'll be back here tomorrow to fight you. It's something your mother requested I do."

"Why?" Ren questioned.

"I…I can't say right now." That answer made Ren glare even harder. "Look, you know how Rae gets." Benkei reminded him.

Ren glared lessened and he nodded. His mother, despite being the sweetest soul in the world, could be downright scary sometimes. "Very well then. We'll fight tomorrow."

"Good. Sun, Neptune, don't do anything more stupid than usual." Benkei ordered.

"What? Us do something stupid? Please!" Sun rebuked.

"Do I have to tell the folks here about the "Banana Ball Gag" incident and how the mere sight of pudding makes me cringe?" Benkei questioned as Neptune turned a bit green and Sun paled.

"W-we'll be good," Neptune assured the man.

"Good." Benkei put his cloak back on, and grabbed his backpack. "I'll be back tomorrow." He was about to leave when he stopped. "Jaune?"

"Yeah?"

"Where is Crocea Mors?" Benkei asked. "I've always wanted to see that blade up close, but Ethan was always clingy of that weapon."

Jaune snorted annoyed, and it showed on his face. "My old man took Crocea Mors away from me." That surprised everyone. "I was told I wasn't worthy of wielding it anymore."

"I see…" Benkei murmured. "Better make it two Ren. Your old man has work to do."

"What are you planning?" Ren questioned.

"You'll see." And with that Benkei left.

"Well that was a thing," Yang said frowning.

"Ah, don't let it dampen the mood of the party," Jaune said suddenly next to her. Yang jumped slightly.

"GAH! Jaune! How are you doing that?!" Yang exclaimed clutching her heart.

"Later," Jaune said amused. "I smell salsa! I love salsa!"

::::

A short time later, everyone was sitting around the living room, eating and talking. Jaune was being fed, much to his mutual ire and amusement, by Weiss as he still had a hard time eating with one arm.

"So Jaune," Taiyang began, getting the boy's attention. "As much as I want to strangle you for takin my baby-girls away from me, I must admit, I am curious to how you move so fast. The only people I knew who could do that were Ruby and her late mother, bless her soul."

"Ah, yes, I guess I do need to explain," Jaune said sighing. "After Loamstol, Ms. Goodwitch found out I have two Auras."

"Two Auras?" Mercury asked confused. "How is that possible?" The others nodded

"I don't know how it's possible; I just know how it happened." Jaune took a drink of his soda. He looked down at the can. "Remember when I got injured during that fight with my dad?"

"Yeah, you were…" Ruby trailed off, trying not to remember what happened.

"What happened?" Taiyang asked confused.

"His _father _nearly bisected him," Yang growled. "He has a massive scar across his chest from the _tough love _that man showed him."

"Yeah well…when I passed out, I was visited by what I thought was a spirit," Jaune continued. "In reality, it was something far worse."

"What was it?" Blake asked.

"The person who casted the Coeur Sanglant on the Arc Family, Morganna Arc. What my father was supposed to tell me was that she was the one who cursed our family." Everyone was silent at that. The curse that plagued the Arc Family was caused by one of their own.

"Why?" Weiss asked quietly.

"Because she was in love," Jaune replied closing his eyes. "Morganna Arc was a powerful Aura Sorceress, but she was like anyone else. She loved her brother more than a sibling should, and she was jealous of the woman that took him away from her, Marta Scarlatina." He took the time to take another sip of his drink. "Elias was a man who had only one passion, combat. And then he fell in love, so then he had two passions, but it wasn't with her, so she made him chose – Love or War, and thus the curse was born."

"That's messed up, man." Mercury commented with a frown.

"I agree, but what does all this have to do with your two Auras?" Ren asked.

"I'm getting there. So the curse was formed with her Aura, and Aura is the manifestation of our Souls. Thusly every Male Arc who lives has a bit of her soul inside of them. What I eventually figured out, was that I already had the capacity of producing the Black Aura, but my White Aura was too vast, which if you think about it, wasn't normal to begin with." Seeing their confused looks, he elaborated. "Didn't you all find it weird I have a White Aura? Or a Black Aura for that matter? Or the fact that Male Arcs have either or?"

"We didn't find anything weird about it," Pyrrha admitted while the others nodded.

"They really should teach this stuff," Jaune muttered while Taiyang nodded. He knew exactly what Jaune was talking about. "Okay, I've already gone off track, so I'll explain it quickly. Aura is our life energy, and its colors determine where our strengths lie. Red denotes a physical aspect, orange – our emotions, yellow – self-energy and willpower, green – healing, blue – intelligence, indigo – mental communication, and violet – awareness of illusions and higher consciousness."

"Mental communication, awareness of illusions and higher consciousness?" Ruby asked confused.

"Those with Indigo Auras are far more spiritual than others and are known to be able to learn minor telepathy. Violet Aura users can detect illusions like the ones Neo use and can sense the leylines of the universe as it were." Jaune explained. "The problem lies with the fact that I have an White Aura and a Black Aura. White, scientifically speaking reflects all colors of the spectrum, meaning that my White Aura protects me from all aspects of Aura based attacks. Black, scientifically speaking, absorbed all colors…" Jaune looked a bit uneasy. He really didn't want to see their reaction, but they needed to know. "My Black Aura allows me to 'absorb' other Auras via my Semblance and use it to heal my wounds and replenish my own reserves."

"When you say 'absorb'-"Weiss began.

"Black Auras devour other Auras. It's the same type of energy produced by Grimm." Taiyang said quietly. The others paled at those words. "But, that doesn't mean he's some sort of monster now. Evrard Arc had that Aura and yet he was the kindest man I know, much more likable than Ethan." Seeing their looks he continued. "Ethan, despite his goofy exterior, was a vain man. He believed his white 'holy' aura made him better than anyone else."

"Yeah…that sounds like my old man…" Jaune agreed angrily.

"So wait, how did you get the Black Aura then? Last time we check, your Aura was White." Yang commented.

"Well…remember how I said the curse was a fragment of Morganna?" Seeing their nods, he continued. "She began feeding off my White Aura, slowly, so that nobody would notice, not even I. By the time you all came to the Mining Facility, I was running on fumes."

"I thought it was weird that you were so tired, even after all that fighting!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "Physically, besides that Beowolf scratch, you were fine, but when we got there, you were tired, weak."

Jaune nodded. "Morganna wanted me to be in that position. So when we were separated she began speaking to me. She told me she was absorbing my White Aura, and that I should just use the Black Aura that was produced by the curse…and I had no choice. I couldn't use Crocea Mors against Minos because of his Semblance, and there were at least ten White Fang members waiting for me at the end of that elevator ride. So I gave in. I threw away my principles and morals, and accepted the Black Aura. It didn't matter what it meant for me."

The room was silent. Those who read his Codex slowly began to realize how much Jaune had to sacrifice morally to use that Aura. He claimed that if his Aura was Black, he'd kill himself because he refused to be a monster. But then he was put into a situation that forced him to use the accursed Aura.

"Why did you accept it?" Nora asked quietly.

"Because I was afraid; afraid that if I didn't I would die and leave you all at the hands of Minos. Fighting him one on one was the best possible choice anyone could've made, and I had the ability to form weapons that he couldn't deflect or use against the user. If he had got to you all, it would've been a slaughter." Jaune admitted. "You all…are precious to me. If it meant becoming something I hated to protect you all, I would do it in a heartbeat."

Everyone smiled at his declaration, and Taiyang finally understood why his girls loved Jaune. A man, who would throw away his principles for his friends and loves one, was the strongest man that could exist.

"Jaune," Nora began getting her leader's attention. "Why are you wearing that eye patch? I mean, it looks really cool, especially with your look, you look like a pirate, a cool pirate, but still-"

"Yeah, why ARE you wearing that eye-patch?" Yang asked cutting off the girl mid rant.

"Well…uh…" Jaune began nervously. "I wanted to look-"

"Just take it off," Weiss huffed. "You can't lie to save your life, Jaune."

Jaune hung his head. _'No matter how much I've grown she's right! I can't lie!' _Jaune sighed and with his hand, he took off the eye patch. He opened his left eye, showing them his red eye that seemed to glow, even in the well lit room. They all stared at his mix-matched eyes. "My eye changed due to the Black Aura." He admitted. "I just didn't want to freak anyone out."

Suddenly Emerald sighed. "My god he got even more handsome."

Jaune blinked. "Wait what?"

"Those eyes only enhance your good looks," Pyrrha admitted with a blush. Ruby and Neo both were blushing as well while Yang began leering at him.

"Could you girls not jump him in front of me?" Taiyang questioned with stern look. "I'm still trying to accept the fact that my baby-girls are both dating the same man who has five other girlfriends."

Sun piped up, after taking a while to get over not being able to ask Blake out, that and stuffing his face. "Yeah man, what is your secret?"

"Secret?" Jaune asked confused.

"Your secret of obtaining all those girlfriends," Neptune explained with a grin.

"I have to admit, Wonder-boy, I'm curious as well." Mercury put in his two lien.

"Uh…I was…myself?" Jaune offered weakly.

The guys in the room (including Taiyang and Ren) stared at Jaune. Suddenly Ren face palmed. "How did I miss it? The signs were there!"

"Miss what?" Jaune questioned confused. The girls were confused as well.

"He's a Natural Type," Ren continued, causing the other guys to sigh.

"I knew it!" Mercury said snapping his fingers. "No offense, but when I met you Jaune, you came off a bit like…well…"

"A dunce?" Ren offered. Mercury nodded.

"HEY!" Jaune shouted annoyed.

Sun slumped over, a dark aura of sadness hung over him. "A Natural Type, a god damn Natural Type! I stood no chance! It's not fair!"

Neptune patted the back of his partner. "No one did." Jaune looked only more confused as did the girls. Taiyang could only chuckle. _'One minute, you're all serious and intelligent and the next you're a complete idiot. You're a marvel, Jaune Arc'_

::::

Jaune sat quietly on the back porch, looking up at the stars. Neo was sitting with him, as they both enjoyed the quietness of the Island. Jaune heard soft footsteps approaching him, but he paid them no mind.

"You know," a voice, Weiss, began. "You never did explain how you moved so fast."

"So I didn't. I guess you all want to hear that part of my tale?" Jaune said nothing as he was joined by his six other maidens, his princesses. "It's actually really simple to explain. I moved fast because of my Aura."

"Your Aura?" Blake asked confused.

"Well…lemme try to explain it as simple as possible," Jaune told them. He took a deep breath. "You know how when we jump out of ships and the like, we're supposed to use our Aura to cushion the impact and heal ourselves?"

"Yeah, that's basic knowledge," Yang replied as the others nodded.

"Well I simply take that concept and reverse it…kind of." Jaune continued. "I build up Aura in my legs and release it through my feet when I move. You've seen the end result."

"That sounds…dangerous." Pyrrha commented.

"It is…slightly. The amount of Aura I have to expend to move like that and then stop is pretty big, but that's because I have little control with my Aura."

"You know, there are different things you can do to refine control," Weiss commented.

"I know, but I can't do any of them right now. I can barely fight as it is." Jaune pointed out.

"I wouldn't count you out as a threat just yet," Pyrrha told him. "You're still good with a sword."

"No matter how good I am, I don't expect to be handy in a fight. In fact, I'll be quite _armless_, wouldn't you say?" Yang began to laugh at his pun while the others groaned.

"Don't quit your day job, dear." Blake told him dryly.

"What, I thought it was good!" Yang rebuked.

"It's getting late," Ruby said with a yawn. "We need to get to bed soon."

"Can someone get Neo? She fell asleep on my bad arm. It doesn't hurt, but I don't want to disturb her too much." Jaune said motioning to the sleeping girl.

"I got her," Pyrrha said. She carefully picked up the smaller girl and took her inside.

"You gals have a good night," Jaune told them. "I think I'll stay up a little bit longer."

"Don't stay up too late." Weiss warned. Jaune nodded and all of the girls left.

Jaune waited a few moments longer. "I know you're there. The thing about my Black Aura is that I can sense other Auras, Benkei."

Benkei came out of the shadows. "I know."

"What do you need?"

"I want to make you a weapon." Benkei told Jaune bluntly. "The fact of the matter is, I know about Arc Traditions, and Ethan did not challenge you properly for the ownership of Crocea Mors."

"I know he didn't." Jaune replied with a frown. "I was too injured to fight him anyways so I let him take it."

"That's why I want to make you a weapon, a sword made especially for you." Benkei explained. "It wasn't right, and if Evrard or your Grandfather found out, they would be pressuring you to take it back. You need to be prepared for that."

Jaune nodded. "What do you need me to do?" Benkei grinned.

_**End of Chapter 16**_


	19. Chapter 17

_**Mightier Than The Sword**_

_I have to admit, I lulled at the review by Kthereader79 who submitted:_

"_My god. He's become Kirito." _

_I've never watched SAO, though an old friend of mine YamatoFX abridges it, and I see the parallels. _

_And yes, I can understand how Jaune can feel a bit…douche-like DarkSouls61, and I have a reason for that, in which you'll get to hear in this chapter's EXPOSITON! Yes, more talking, and –gasp- what this I smell? Is that…PLOT! OMG PLOT WE MISSED YOU!_

_Give three cheers for my Plot, which at this point, is a nice soft pretzel, covered in cheesy goodness!_

_Pretzel plots, they're good for you!_

_I will like to thank LazyLegionSpark for being a general bro/sis (don't know the gender, don't keels me) about my story._

_As for his weapon, it's been decided it'll be a sword, but that's not all it'll be. That's right Jaune is getting something cool! _

_Benkei IS the mentor of this Arc, since a lot of the older characters are off screen doing awesome stuff!_

_Also check out Pokemon – RWBY Edition, a bit of a side fanfic I'll be writing from time to time, in between updates of this and Yoko Days._

_Warning though…uhh…I wrote a bit of a small lemon…it's…my first time, and I was embarrassed the entire time. It's one thing to read one, it's another to write one. I added a way to skip it…b-but if you do read it, please feel free to tell me how well I did, and please be brutally honest._

**Chapter 17 – Identity**

Morning came quickly for the occupants of Taiyang's house as Pyrrha woke first. She, Blake, and Emerald bunked in Yang's room while Weiss, Nora, and Neo bunked in Ruby's room. She giggled to herself quietly. The boys stayed downstairs in the living room. When she thought about it, she giggled to herself quietly. Here they were slightly bloodied warrior teens having a sleepover. It was too funny. She tiptoed out the room and down the stairs, hoping to find Jaune and snag some alone time with her partner and boyfriend. When she entered the living room, she was surprised at how bare it was. None of the boys were there, and all of their sleeping bags were folded up. She quietly searched the bottom floor, only to see Ren and Nora sitting out back, still in their sleepwear. Confused, she joined them on the back porch.

"Hey," She greeted.

"Mornin' Pyrrha," Nora greeted sleepily.

"Where's the rest of the guys?" Pyrrha asked.

"Sun and Neptune left out early, saying they needed to head back to Haven, and Mercury went to see if Cinder had work for him to do." Ren explained. She could hear a tone in his voice. He was upset again.

"And Jaune?" She asked.

"See for yourself," Ren motioned with his hand. She followed the appendage to see Jaune sitting cross legged in front of Benkei. They seemed to be discussing something as there were slabs of metal in between them.

"Still mad at him?" Pyrrha guessed.

"What gave you that idea?"

"Ren, be nice," Nora said sternly. "We understand that you're upset, but that doesn't excuse you from being rude."

The shock of being scolded by Nora of all people, snapped him out of his funk. "I-I'm sorry. It's just that…I always wondered who my father was, and what he was like. And now that I met him, he's…"

"Not what you imagined," Pyrrha finished.

"Yeah…" Ren sighed.

"Well we should go see what they're talking about," Nora said standing up. "I mean is Jaune is talking with him and haven't run him through yet, he can't be all bad, right?"

"Nora!" Ren said scandalized. "Jaune doesn't kill people who get on his nerves."

"I don't know anymore," Nora announced, stunning them both. "Jaune was so nice and goofy when we met him. Now that all of this…stuff has happened, he's gotten cold and scary." She looked at her teammates. "I'm…actually afraid of him."

Those words broke their hearts. Their team was like a family. To hear those words come from Nora of all people really drove home how much things has changed. How much Jaune has changed?

"No," Ren said standing up. "I refuse to believe that the Jaune we knew is gone." He looked at Nora and Pyrrha. "We need to talk with our leader." They both nodded and followed the boy into the backyard where Jaune and Benkei were sitting.

As they got closer, they could hear bits of their conversation.

"So instead of channeling Aura directly into the blade, your design will allow me to focus my Aura around it, giving the blade the properties of my Aura with none of the wear and tear that might befall the metal?" Jaune questioned.

"Right!"

"And what about the-" He stopped to see his team sitting next to him. "Morning guys. What's going on?"

"Oh we were curious to what you two were talking about," Pyrrha said leaning into him. He wrapped his good arm around her.

"Oh, Benkei said he'd make me something to replace Crocea Mors." Jaune explained with a grin. "Ren, you might not like your dad right now, but he really knows his stuff. I really wish he did teach at Beacon."

"Really now?" Ren questioned eying his father.

"Hey, I am a teacher and a blacksmith, son. I know a lot of things, especially Aura Manipulation." Benkei said with a grin. "Like for example, channeling a little bit of Aura in your ears to hear things from a distance."

Nora and Ren paled. "Y-You heard our conversation?" Ren asked shocked.

"Yep. And honestly, I'm a bit disappointed, in all of you." Benkei said shaking his head. "You four are a team and yet you all don't talk about what's troubling you."

Jaune looked confused, and then he looked at his team who looked down. "Guys?"

"Nora is afraid of ya, kid." Benkei explained. Jaune looked hurt at his words. His teammate was afraid of him? "And I wouldn't blame her, you haven't found balance yet."

"Balance?" Ren asked.

Benkei sighed and muttered something. It sounded like 'they really don't teach kids anything these days'. "Alright kids," Benkei said standing up. "Let me teach you about the principles of balance and how it applies to your leader, Jaune." Team Juniper gave the man their full attention. Ren might not have liked his father at the moment, but he wasn't going to say no to learn something new. "Yin and Yang, the concept that describes the balance between opposite or contrary forces, and how they are complimentary. Everything works on this concept. For example, Man and Woman, Light and Dark, Fire and Water. Without this balance, people believe that we cannot exist."

Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha nodded. Jaune looked confused. "I can understand that much, but what does that have to do with me?" Jaune asked

"I'm glad you ask. Inside your body is the perfect example of the Yin and Yang concept." Benkei replied. "Your Black Aura, Yin Aura, and your White Aura, Yang Aura, found balance within one vessel. However this affected you in many different ways."

"How so?" Pyrrha questioned concerned.

"Some people would say our darkest emotions are located in the Yin portion of our souls. Hatred, Anger, Sorrow, Madness...all with our Yin Aura that makes us unique from the Grimm. Our lighter emotions can be found in our Yang Aura – happiness and love to name a few. The Yin and Yang Auras swirl and mix, and that's how we exist. Grimm are made of entirely Yin Aura, which drives them to attack us." Benkei explained. He then looked at Jaune. "The problem with your leader is that he probably repressed a lot of his darker emotions for quite a while. Sure he got angry, and probably felt sad. But he bottled them right up quicker than you can address them, am I right?"

Pyrrha thought back and nodded. "Jaune was always content of letting things be, and he never lashed out even when he needed to."

"I knew the dangers of doing so," Jaune admitted with a frown. "I didn't want to drag you guys down with me."

"And that's what makes you a great leader, kid." Benkei praised. "In any event, now that his Yin Aura has been released, he's freely expressing himself and he can be a bit…exuberant. Sooner or later he'll be back to the goofy guy you know and love. He just needs time to find his balance."

Nora let out a sigh of relief. Then she turned to Jaune. "Sorry Jaune."

"It's okay Nora; I have been acting a bit…different I suppose." Jaune admitted. "Honestly the only thing that bothering me right now is this blasted arm. I feel so handicapped right now, and I want to get back to training."

Benkei hummed for a bit, "I'm not supposed to do this, but I can speed up the healing process."

"You can?" Jaune asked amazed. "I was told that nothing could heal this thing fast."

"Them doctors lied to you," Benkei said moving over to Jaune. Ren moved over to the side to allow the man near him. "Anyone who has Green Aura like I do can heal others faster than normal. More than likely, none of the doctors have Green Auras or they lied."

Jaune blinked as he remembered seeing his doctor informing his dad of something. He growled. Everything keeps coming back to Ethan Arc. Why was his dad conspiring against him? It made no sense! "Benkei, do your stuff. I want to be combat fit soon."

"Alright," Benkei said sitting down next to Jaune. "I need you to cut the flow of Aura to your arm. It's going to hurt like a bitch, kid, but I need to be able to pump my Aura into your arm without it getting blocked or devoured." Jaune stopped the flow of Aura in his arm and the pain suddenly hit him. He winced in pain. Pyrrha took a hold of his hand, trying to comfort him. Benkei took the sling off and gently held the arm out. Jaune grunted loudly in pain. "I need someone to hold his Arm while I heal him."

"I'll do it," Ren said gently taking the arm from his father.

"Alright Ren, I need you to hold his Arm still." Benkei ordered. "I can't rush it. Nora, Pyrrha hold him still so he won't move." The girls nodded and secured Jaune. "Let's do this." Ren watched as a vibrant green aura sprung from his father's hand and began flowing into Jaune's exposed arm. Ren winced as he finally took a look at the Arm. It was purplish black. Minos left his mark indeed. Jaune was shaking, and he couldn't help but let out another grunt of pain.

::::

Taiyang woke up when he heard a sound of pain. Rolling out of bed, he quickly went to investigate. Making his way down the stairs and out the back, he saw Benkei using his Aura on Jaune and Jaune's team holding the boy still. He sighed and went back into the house.

"Dad, we heard you running," Yang said wide awake, still in her sleep wear, with Ember Celica equipped. Next to her were Weiss, Blake, and Emerald with their respective weapons. "Is everything fine?"

"Yeah…Benkei is actually making himself useful, the bum. He's healing Jaune's Arm." Taiyang said yawning. "I'm going to take a shower, I still have work, you know." Taiyang brushed past the girls and back up the stairs.

It took a minute for them to comprehend what the man had said. "He's doing what?"

::::

"Almost done with the upper arm." Benkei said sweating a bit. "My god kid, you took that blow like a champ."

"I think he passed out," Nora commented nervously. Jaune lay limp in their arms, which was good, as he wasn't moving, and slightly frightening because of the same reason. Pyrrha wasn't faring better, but maybe that was because he passed out between her breasts. Her face was matching her hair, and she wasn't moving as well.

Benkei moved on to Jaune's forearm and healed the damage there as well, as it was lesser than his upper arm, and to make sure, he healed his hand as well. Five minutes later, Benkei let out a sigh and wiped the sweat off his brow. "That was rough, but he should be able to heal the rest with his own Aura."

"What about his bruising?" Ren questioned, looking at the purple appendage.

"That? Well someone with either a Yellow Aura or a Fire Semblance could help him out there." Benkei explained. "His nerves are "cold" so he needs heat to warm them up."

"I think we know someone that could help." Ren said with a smirk.

::::

"You want me to what?" Yang questioned confused. She and Ren were in her room where they had placed the unconscious Jaune in her bed. Taiyang was against it, but he conceded eventually.

"We need you to finish healing Jaune's Arm," Ren explained. "Your Aura and Semblance would be perfect for what is needed."

"Last time I check, my Semblance burned things." Yang pointed out.

"Look it's simple," Ren began with a sigh. "You pump your Aura into his arm in small bursts. It'll restore functions to his nerves and reduce the bruising. And then once he wakes up, he can just heal the rest of the way."

"If you're sure it's safe," Yang replied. "What about you all?"

"Ruby wants to show us the rest of Patch before we leave tomorrow, and your dad went back to Signal. So it'll be just you, Jaune, and Zwei." Ren told her. Zwei was their pet dog, and he was super smart and friendly. Blake didn't like him for obvious reasons.

Yang nodded. "Alright, I guess I'll get started at least."

"We'll be back for dinner." Ren told her as he left her room.

She looked at the shirtless Jaune and sighed. "Why couldn't you not be injured and awake?"

Suddenly Jaune chuckled. "Well, I'm half of those things…"

"Jaune, you're awake!" Yang exclaimed.

"I woke up when they dumped me in your bed," he said tiredly. "They weren't necessarily quiet about it." He sat up in her bed, and swung his feet out onto the floor.

"How do you feel?" She asked moving over to his side.

He raised his bruised arm and clenched his fist a few times. "Better than before, that's for sure."

"Good." She said. Jaune's head turned from the impact of her slap. Jaune held his face in slight shock. Seeing his unspoken question, she continued. "I've been waiting an entire month to do that. What were you thinking back in Loamstol?!"

"I did what I had to," Jaune simply said.

"Jaune what you did was reckless-"

"You don't think I know that!" Jaune snapped, shocking her. "I didn't want to put anyone in danger, including myself!" He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Even though we won, I've…I've been having nightmares, you know? What if I made a mistake? What if I did something wrong? Every night, I see one of you dying in my dreams. It haunts me Yang. I didn't want this for you all, hell I didn't want this. But what can I do? Everything turned out alright; everyone I care about is alive."

Yang sighed and sat next to him. "You make it really hard for me to stay mad at you, you know?"

"Sorry?" Jaune offered confused.

"No…it's just…" Yang turned to him with a small smile. "You've changed, you know?"

"You're the fourth person today to tell me that," Jaune replied dryly. "I know I've changed. I kind of had to. I needed to be strong, not only for my sake, but for everyone else."

"Not only that," Yang told him. "But you've accepted yourself as you are. When I first met you, you were so…"

"Wimpy?"

"Well if you want to call it that," Yang giggled. "Despite how you acted, everyone could tell you were harsher on yourself than anyone else. We didn't know at the time, but you really did have a standard to live up to. Now it seems you're living more."

"To be honest, losing Crocea Mors was probably the best thing that could have happen to me, despite the circumstances."

"How so?"

"Well…" Jaune began. "I was upset at first. I mean who wouldn't? Your weapon was just taken away and you were told you weren't worthy of it. But then as the days went by, and I spent my time alone, I realize that without it, I was free to be…me. For the longest time, I let my family name define me, drive me. But now…I can be just me. Just…Jaune."

Yang smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way." She took his bruised arm and began channeling her Aura into it. "Let's get you fixed up."

"Right."

::::

The teens looked around impressed as they walk through the city of Patch. As it turned out, the Sky Docks were on the outskirts of Patch Island, and the city itself was located more inland. The city was more architecturally different from Vale, looking more like a rustic town than an actual city. Cobblestone roads, buildings made of white stone instead of bricks, metal signs hung from them denoting their purposes.

"This place is amazing," Pyrrha announced with a smile.

"It's been like this since its founding," Ruby explained as she led the group through the town. "Patch was originally was owned by a Regent of the Kingdom of Vale. He wanted his own private island, if you believe the rumors. Still during one of the fiercer battles, he allowed those who wanted to escape the war to move here. Soon, around his castle, small patches of what looked like a village began. Thusly how the Island got its name."

The others smiled at the little history lesson Ruby gave them and continued to look around the city.

"Say Ruby," Nora began. "Where's the castle?"

"Oh, we're going there right now," Ruby told her. "The castle itself was converted into a school. Signal Academy."

"You know, I'm starting to think that every Hunters School is a castle," Emerald told them. "I mean, Beacon is a castle, kind of. Now we know Signal is too."

"I remember Sun mentioning that Haven is a castle too…" Blake added as well.

"What was is deal anyways?" Emerald questioned. "He kept giving Jaune dirty looks."

"I'm still trying to understand what Ren meant when he said Jaune was a "Natural Type"." Weiss added, giving said boy a look.

"Renny explained it to me," Nora said cheerfully.

"Care to explain then?" Weiss asked curiously.

Ren sighed. "I'll explain it." They all stopped to allow the boy to speak. "Every girl has a type correct?" They nodded. "Well guys know this, and those of them in the know, classify each other as "types", a term to describe how they appeal to women. For example, Jaune is a Natural Type – he doesn't need to do anything extravagant or extra to attract women to him, even if he consciously notices or not. He just needs to be himself. Those types of guys are a bit dangerous as they're more likely to steal another guy's girlfriend without even realizing it."

"What about you, Sun, Neptune, and Mercury?" Blake questioned.

"Sun would fall under the "Prince Charming" type if he'd stop and think about his words," Ren told them. "Neptune is definitely the "Cool" type, and Mercury would be the "Bad Boy" type."

"And what about you?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Renny is the "Strong and Silent" type." Nora said jumping on his back. So used to this, he didn't even move.

"You know…that makes very horrible sense," Emerald muttered shocked. The other girls nodded in agreement to that statement.

"Women think men are simple," Ren told them amused. "We understand more than that."

::::

_**[Hi this is your friendly neighborhood warning. There is a lemon abound, and as such I have prepared a safe word: Applesauce. Ctrl-F the word Applesauce to skip the lemon.]**_

Yang moaned in pleasure as Jaune suckled her breasts. She couldn't even remember how they got to this point. All she could remember was pumping Aura into his arm, then there was that kiss...then her shirt and bra came off…

Whatever had happen, she couldn't say she did not like it. Jaune pinched her other nipple causing her to moan. "Jaune."

Jaune pulled away from her breast. "Yang?"

She pouted as she panted. "Why'd you stop?"

Jaune blinked. "Ah…I thought I was doing something wrong."

Yang giggled and pushed him on the bed. Jaune eyes widen as she quickly pulled down the sweatpants he was wearing and his boxers to reveal his erect member. "No, I just thought it wasn't fair that you were doing all the work." She gently palmed his cock. "Not bad, you might actually slay me with this, lady killer."

"Y-Yang, what are-how are-"Jaune stammered.

"Jaune, I know you've seen porn, you're a boy." Yang deadpanned as she wrapped her breasts around his member and began to pump. Jaune bit his lip at the building pressure while he tried to comprehend what was happening. Yang was titfucking him. Two months ago, if someone had told him she would be inclined to do so, he'd laugh in their face…and probably stab them. Not in that order. Yang interrupted his thoughts by taking the head of his cock in her mouth. The pleasure doubled.

"Ah…Yang, I'm gunna-"He couldn't stop himself as he released into her mouth, surprising her. Yang pulled back, mouth full of his semen. Jaune watched in shock as she closed her eyes and swallowed it. The flavor was strong, not the best, but not the worst she decided. He watched as she took off the rest of her clothes, becoming fully nude in front of her. Almost in a trance, he decided to inspect her sex. She moaned as he spread the lips of her pussy apart. "So beautiful…and you shaved your pubic hair in the shape of a flame," He noted amused. "So would that make this a "hot pussy"?"

Yang blushed at his perverted pun. "Stop trying to make me laugh while you're teasing me," She gasped out as a finger plunged into her. She moaned in pleasure as he began to thrust into her faster and faster, her slit dripping more and more. Jaune paused, pulling out his finger, only to substitute it with his tongue. She shivered as she could feel his tongue inside of her, twisting and tasting her. It was too much! "Ah…Jaune…cumin-"She let out a loud moan as Jaune's eyes widened as she squirted.

'_Was it that good?!' _He had only seen women squirt in those videos, never in person. He greedily lapped up her tart juices. His thoughts were interrupted as she once again pinned him to her bed. She had a lust-filled smile as she guided his member towards her sex. She was going to ride him. Raw. "Yang?"

"Relax, Jaune. It's safe today. I didn't expect this to happen, not that I'm complaining." She assured him. "Besides we might as well go all the way, right?"

"If you're sure…" He replied unsure. He watched as she slowly slid down onto his throbbing member. Slowly but surely, she was determined to take all of him inside of her. She gasped as she felt him hit her womb. She watched him shudder in pleasure as he twitched inside of her, wanting, needing the impending deed. His mix-matched eyes met her own lilac eyes and at that moment they reconfirmed what they already knew. Yang leaned forward, meeting Jaune half way, and they kissed, their tongues twisting, wrestling for control. She began to rock on his cock, the feeling sending jolts through their bodies. They were one, connected. Jaune grasped Yang's hips and began to thrust deeply into her, causing her to moan loudly. He was pushing, pounding against her womb.

"J-Jaune, I'm…I'm…" Yang gasped. She didn't need to say it because he knew. He knew because he was about to cum to. As if choreographed, they both came, his milk flooding her womb, sending wave after wave of crashing pleasure. It was too much. She fell on top of him shuddering as his member kept pulsing inside of her. _'Sweet Dust, he's still going! And he's still hard! I can't keep up with him!' _She slowly got off of him, his cock coming out of her with a squishing noise. She then laid down on the bed next to him. She could feel his semen flowing from her.

"I love you, Jaune, but I don't think I can take you alone," Yang murmured tired.

"I love you too Yang," Jaune replied just as tired. "We can't rest now…unless you want your dad to kill me. I just got use of my arm too…"

Yang groaned. If he found out that she just had sex, he'd kill her AND Jaune. "Right…"

**[Applesauce. The Lemon is over.]**

::::

"Oh my god, is that you Ruby?!" Ruby blinked as she was rushed by her former classmates. They began to swarm her with questions and comments. The poor girl had swirls in her eyes.

"Guys! One question at a time!" Ruby said trying to mediate the situation. The teens backed away from her as she took a deep breath. "That was crazy…" She murmured. Her teammates and friends laughed at her.

"Hey who are they?" One of her classmates, a male Faunus asked.

"Well guys, they're my teammates and friends from Beacon." Ruby explained. "At Beacon, huntsmen and huntresses are put into teams of four to handle missions." Her old classmates marveled at that. They were wondering how Beacon did things, and Ruby's letters didn't have that information, rather she talked about how things were going. Her letters stopped a while ago. "This is my team," She motioned to Weiss and Blake. "Us three, plus my sister Yang, form Team RWBY."

"Who is the leader?" another kid asked.

Ruby tried to explain how it didn't matter and Weiss sighed. She knew what her Partner was doing. She had seen it Ruby do this before, act humble. "What my partner is trying to say is that she's the Team Leader." Weiss told them as they looked at the blushing Ruby in awe. "My name is Weiss Schnee, and as I said, I'm Ruby's partner in combat."

"THE Weiss Schnee?!" Several teens asked in shock.

"The very same," Blake said amused as Weiss rolled her eyes. "My name is Blake Belladonna and I'm Yang's partner. She couldn't make it today as she's looking after a friend of ours, their" motioning to Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren. "leader, as he got injured in a very serious mission."

"Who are they? And you say their leader got injured?" A girl asked.

"I guess I'll introduce our team," Pyrrha said amused. "My name is-"

"Wait I know who you are," the same girl interrupted with stars in her eyes. "You're Pyrrha Nikos!" Those who knew about her soon joined her looks of admiration.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Pyrrha said with a smile. "My partner and our Team Leader is Jaune Arc, who couldn't join us today."

"Whoa…" a boy said with eyes wide. "Jaune Arc, the hero of Loamstol? The same guy who took down a super strong criminal? THAT Jaune Arc?"

"I didn't think our fearless leader had gotten notoriety from that," Ren said amused. "I'm Lie Ren by the way. And this is Nora Valkyrie on my back."

"Hi!"

"What about those two?" A boy asked curiously pointing to Emerald and Neo.

"I'm Emerald Sustrai, Jaune's temporary teammate during the Loamstol Assault, and this is Neopolitan or Neo." Emerald introduced them both. "Be nice to Neo please, as she cannot speak." Neo bowed and gave the crowd a smile.

"W-Wow she's cute," a boy in the back stuttered.

"Idiot! She can hear you!" Another boy said hitting the first.

"Why am I an idiot?! I'm just paying her a compliment bastard!"

"Don't start with me, dead-last!"

Ruby sighed. She knew those two. "Alright Hawk, Kurama, break it up."

"So what's it like being a powerful Huntress, Ruby?" A girl suddenly asked.

Ruby blinked. How did it feel? She thought back on everything that happened to her and her friends ever since she started Beacon. Her friends and teammates watched as she closed her eyes. "You know, before I was asked to Join Beacon ahead of all of you, I was in a Dust Shop in Vale, looking at a gun magazine. I didn't know at the time, but Roman Torchwick had targeted that Dust Shop for one of his robberies. One of his goons tried to rob me at sword point, can you really believe that? After I beat his men up, and tried to stop him from escaping, I was rescued by Glynda Goodwitch, a powerful Huntress in her own right." She sighed. "When Blake and I had our first conversation, about books of all things, I told her that I wanted to be like the heroes in the books, someone who fought for what's right. She told me how admirable my goal was but life wasn't a fairy tale where everything has a happy ending."

"Ruby?" Blake whispered.

Ruby looked at Blake and smiled. "And Blake was right, life isn't a fairy tale. We've all been through so much together as friends. We all have seen people at their best and their worst, and we've pushed through it all. And my answer still hasn't changed." She turned to the crowd. "I still want to help people, and do what's right, just like the heroes in the books. I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter how strong I've become, nothing has changed for me. Well, there are little changes here and there, but they're good changes. At the end of the day, I'm just Ruby Rose, Huntress. Nothing more, nothing less." Everyone was stunned and moved by her speech. It was clear to her former classmates that Ruby had changed, but those changes only made them respect and admire her more.

"Well said Ruby," the crowd turned to see Professor Qrow, Taiyang, and another man with them. "Spoken like a true Huntress." Qrow praised.

Ruby blushed. "Thanks Uncle Qrow."

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Lie Ren asked the man.

Benkei shifted his pack. "I needed to use Signal's facilities to finish Jaune's new weapon. Qrow was kind enough to let me use them after he threatened to cut my head off. Seriously, what did I do to deserve such hate?"

"You know what you did," Qrow growled.

"I had my reasons!" Benkei insisted.

"Well when you finally come clean with those "Reasons" maybe we'll forgive you," Taiyang grunted.

"Ugh…whatever," Benkei grunted back. "I'm going to deliver the weapon now and then I'm going to find a nice warm bed for the night. I'll see you all tomorrow, especially you Ren." Benkei moved around the crowd of children and ambled down the road.

"Right," Qrow said getting the kids attention. "It's getting late kids, time for you all to go home."

The teens grumbled and soon all of them left. Ruby let out a sigh. "That was intense."

"Welcome to the world of being a known Hunter, Ruby." Qrow said with a grin. "People will find you lovable and will quote everything you say."

"I hope not," Weiss said with a sigh. "One Ruby is enough, thank you very much."

"Hey!" Everyone shared a laugh.

"Well let's get going," Qrow said as he began down the road. "I need to meet the guy who stole the hearts of my nieces and carve his out."

Ruby paled and began to chase after the man. "Uncle Qrow, you will not hurt my boyfriend, you hear me!"

"Sorry I can't hear you over the sounds of not caring," Qrow teased as he began to run away from her.

"Uncle Qrow!"

"Welp," Taiyang said with a grin. "Better follow after them." The others nodded and began walking back towards Taiyang's house. Ren said nothing as he began to focus on the battle that was yet to come.

He decided that he want answers. Answers his father could only provide. So at that thought, he might as well take a page out of Nora's book and smash his father until he get the answers he wanted.

He waited for seventeen years. He couldn't wait another day.

**End of Chapter 17**


	20. Chapter 18

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_I think my writing Stamina is low. I took several breaks on Chapter 1 of Pokémon RWBY Edition, and I kind of rambled more about the Pokémon Adriano Willow (an espy of from my old Pokemon Ask Blog on Tumblr) had and iunno._

_The actual character Adriano Willow is actually an OC I created to give away Pokémon, Pokémon I still have by the way._

_I'll eventually start up again, I'll let you guys know, check my profile for more details._

_With the non-MTTS information out the way, Thank you all for your critiques of the short lemon. Some said I should've dragged it on, others said I should've went into detail. I'm glad you guys enjoyed it as well._

_Now uh…one thing that did bother me was that you guys believed that this wasn't Yang's first time. I want to go on the record personally to say yes that was her first time. Like I mentioned (in story) that people think Yang is a perpetual Party Girl, and apparently that constitutes her as loose. _

_Let's drop some knowledge on you folks, and ladies, please correct me if I'm wrong~!_

_Most active and athletic women break their hymen doing their respective activity, especially at a young age. I suspect that most huntresses in the RWBY World already broke theirs. So no blood marking "Virginity" but she still was._

_And the "porn" comment went both ways. Still I enjoyed writing the dialogue out for that scene. I didn't drag it out because sex may feel like "hours" it usually happens within minutes, and I well…_

_I was too freaking embarrassed!_

_With that said, I'm glad it came out okay._

_If you want to ask me questions, check out The Pen, I'm usually on it when I'm not even on my PC!_

_Or PM me…as people seem to do. I answer them both, not timely, when I can._

_ALSO I just realize something and you all never pointed it out. They've been basically sleeping over Ruby and Yang's house and not once did I mention they had spare clothes. Hilarious, right? Yeah well they have spare clothes. Inside various bags. That works right? Well I'll be introducing some new technology in the next Arc so don't worry._

**Chapter 18 – Truth**

When everyone arrived back at the house, they were surprise to see Jaune working out. More specifically, he was doing push-ups with Yang sitting on his back. His face was contorted in concentration as he tried to push himself. Yang was sitting crossed legged, reading a book. She was wearing a shirt and a pair of cloth-like shorts.

"Hey…guys…" Jaune greeted as he collapsed to the floor.

Yang patted his head. "That'll do Jaune, that'll do." She got off of him and helped him up. "You actually made it to fifty. Your muscles haven't gotten that bad." Taiyang and Qrow's eye twitched as Yang rubbed her hands against the boy's bodies.

"Jaune!" Jaune blinked as he was rushed by his team and girlfriends.

"That's my name," Jaune replied confused. "Did you guys enjoy whatever it was you did?"

"We went to Signal, Jauney!" Nora said bouncing on her feet. "We met Ruby's old classmates and found out you're famous like Pyrrha and Weiss!"

"I'm what?" Jaune asked shocked

"Apparently you got fame for taking down Minos," Ren told his shocked teammate. "You might even have some fan girls."

Jaune sighed. "So much for going back into obscurity." Jaune then looked at the odd man that was glaring at him with Taiyang. "Whatever it was, I didn't do it."

"Oh so you didn't somehow woo my nieces?" Qrow asked with a frown.

"There…there is no right answer for that question," Jaune announced. "Therefore I'll just say this." Qrow waited for his answer as did everyone else. "I love them. I love all of the girls in my heart. Nothing else needs to be said."

Qrow stared at Jaune. Jaune stared at Qrow. Qrow made a face. Jaune replied. Looking shocked, Qrow countered. Flabbergasted, Jaune rebuked. Suddenly Qrow grinned. Jaune smiled. Qrow looked at Taiyang. "He's good in my books."

"What just happened?" Ruby asked confused.

"I think they just bonded…over…funny faces…." Emerald said unsure.

Qrow grinned at the girl. "Lass, I am man of simple tastes and desires! In my youth, I was a hunter of Peace, one who'd chase the elusive mayfly of love!" Somehow, those words caused everyone to shiver. "I can tell from his eyes, Jaune is a man of peace too! Us good guys need to stick together, right?"

"Right," Jaune agreed

::::

The first thing Blake noticed when she entered Yang's room was the smell. It smelled like perfume. It wasn't overbearing for a Human, but Blake noticed it before even stepping into the room. Delving past that smell, she could smell Jaune, rather some powerful musk of Jaune, as if he marked his territory like a dog. She looked over to Yang's bed and realized the smell was coming from there, and the sheets were different. She looked at Yang, who was conversing with Pyrrha and Emerald. She quietly closed the door behind her and moved over to Yang.

"Yang." Blake said to her.

"Yes kitten?" Yang asked with a smile on her face.

"You had sex with Jaune didn't you." It wasn't a question, more like a statement. Pyrrha and Emerald eyes widen as Yang blushed.

"I-well-he-we-did-uh-oh shoot…" Yang sighed. "Yes."

The other three girls looked at Yang shocked. "How was he?" Emerald asked.

"Emerald!" Pyrrha said scandalized.

"What, we never set any ground rules about this type of thing," Emerald replied with a shrug. "We should probably get Weiss, Neo, and Ruby here to hear this." A few moments later said girls were in Yang's Room, said girl was still blushing at the fact she was caught.

"Y-You really did…" Weiss was lost for words.

[How was he?] Neo signed.

"Tiring," Yang finally answered with a sigh. "It was both our first time, but Jaune…even after blowing his load twice was ready for more while I was worn out." She explained as the other girls blushed deeply at that. "He was great by the way. Just…I don't think I could handle him when he's at a hundred percent. He wore me out when he was still injured and tired."

Meanwhile Jaune was staring down a bigger beast than himself, Taiyang. You see, Taiyang wasn't a hunter for nothing. While Qrow left on amiable terms, Taiyang was far more observant. He noticed that his eldest daughter was walking slightly bowlegged. He didn't need to put two and two together to get seven, oh no, his math was on the dot, and it was adding up that Jaune and his daughter did the dirty deed.

"Tell me Jaune," Taiyang said glaring at the boy. Jaune shied away nervously. "Are you planning on taking my other daughter's virginity away while you're here or was this a onetime deal?"

"S-sir I-"

"Save it. I don't want to know how or why you did it, but you're on my shit list boy." Taiyang growled. "I want you gone tomorrow; I don't care how or why."

Jaune stared at Taiyang, anger slowly burning within him. He could understand where Taiyang was coming from, but he couldn't care less. He loved Yang and the rest of the girls too much to let him stand in his way. But then he realized something, he didn't need to deal with Taiyang's overprotectiveness. He had other problems to deal with, like getting his arm back to normal and eventually dealing with his father. Besides, he knew how his girls would react. Sad to say, he's been on the receiving end of their ire in a multitude of ways. This time, Taiyang would be taking one for the team.

"I'll do you one better. It's almost ten; I can catch the last Dust Plane back to Vale." Jaune told the man. Taiyang blinked at Jaune's words as he quietly packed up his things. He strapped a Sword and Shield set onto his back, and grabbed his duffle bag. "Tell them I'll see them later." He looked at Taiyang one more time. "I already got enough problems as it is, I don't need you as one." He admitted and left the house.

Taiyang stared at the door in slight shock. He expected, no wanted Jaune to fight back. He wanted to see Jaune's resolve, to see if he'd stand up to him. But Jaune was compliant, and even accommodating. It was easy, almost too easy.

"Hey dad, I heard the door open and close, did someone come?" Taiyang looked back to see Ruby peering at him from the stairs. Suddenly he realized why Jaune was so complacent. He only dealt with his budding daughters; Jaune dealt with seven hormonal women at a given time, two of which was his daughters. And given his other female teammate's exuberance, that was a solid eight huntresses he had to deal with.

"Uh…no dear," Taiyang replied nervously. "No one came."

"Oh okay, could you tell Jaune that we need to talk to him?" Ruby asked.

Taiyang gulped.

Ren sighed peacefully as he did his late night Katas in the backyard. A nice work out would definitely work out the kinks in his body in preparation for his fight.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CHASED JAUNE OUT THE HOUSE?!" Ruby screamed, throwing off Ren's groove.

'_Oh Mr. Xiao Long, you're a dead man.' _ Ren noted with humor. Oh he was mad, but he knew that Taiyang was in for a long night.

::::

Meanwhile Jaune sat on one the benches as he inspected the sword and shield Benkei had dropped off. The sword was expertly crafted as it had a blue hilt with wing like guards. The blade was longer than Crocea Mors and looked just as sharp too. He idly channeled his Aura into it and was surprised to see the white aura radiate off the blade, giving the sword a mystic look. He looked at the shield, which looked more ornate than anything. It had a blue trim as well, and a mirror like surface that seemed to reflect everything. As he sheaths his sword and put away his weapon set, he considered heading back to the house. He mentally shook his head. No, that would make him look smug. As much as he'd like to rub it into Taiyang's face that he knew what would happen, that wasn't him. That was his darker emotions talking. Benkei told him off to the side when he left to go prepare, that he needed to acknowledge his darker emotions, but not act on them, like anger, greed, and hatred…lust.

Jaune admitted to himself that lust was his biggest problem. He loved his girls all the same, but all it took was an errant kiss and the knowledge that the only other being in the house was a dog to unleash his inner beast. He blushed as he remembered Yang's flushed face, full of happiness, and totally dripping with their combined love juices. She seemed to glow brighter than before, and he was shocked to learn that he was her first. She admitted to him that she'd never gone far with her previous boyfriends, only kisses because nine times out of ten, they only wanted her for her body.

Jaune snorted at those fools. Yang Xiao Long was beautiful, he'd be the first to admit that wholeheartedly, but she had other things that made her equally as attractive. She was kind and considerate, intelligent, very protective of her friends, stronger than him physically…he could list everything great about the woman, as he could with all his girlfriends.

He also admits that he hasn't been spending time with them, and that hurt him more than it should. Ruby assured him months ago that they knew why, but now he didn't have an excuse. He stood up as the last Dust Plane of the night pulled up and opened its doors. He boarded the vehicle, sitting down in one of its many chairs. The pilot, seeing that there were no more passengers, took off. A familiar feeling settled in his stomach, but a burst of Aura quelled that feeling. Jaune mentally chuckled. Who knew filling your stomach with Aura lessened the effects of Motion Sickness?

He closed his eyes as he listened to the sounds of the moving vehicle, calming his mind, and almost lulling him to sleep. He sighed. He could sleep when he got back to his apartment. Tomorrow, he'd come back to Patch to watch the fight between Ren and Benkei, and then he'd probably leave again.

He really didn't want to avoid the man, but he needed to be there for his teammates and friends. He did promise to teach them how to do the Aura Step after all. It'd be easier if he had a place where they could stay and train.

Suddenly his eyes widen at that thought. The Arc Family had a lot of properties, even though the family was relatively small, even if you include the Scarlatina's. They had a few mansions that were owned by former family members and were maintained by stewards of the family. All he needed to do is ask for one of the extra ones, make sure it's been maintained properly, and then invite them over! Hell they could probably move in with him if they wanted!

A grin slowly grew on his face. He had a few calls to make once he got back to Vale. Hopefully, his plans won't go awry.

::::

Taiyang stared nervously at the eight pairs of eyes glaring at him. A part of him was telling him to man up and put his foot down, but that part of him was viciously squashed by reason and fear. Taiyang knew how vicious women could be, after all, he was married twice, and he should've remembered how protective those girls were of their boyfriend. Jaune, in review of him and what he heard, was a nice boy to be sure, sometimes a bit flighty, other times downright scary, but that came with being who he was – an Arc.

His biggest mistake was underestimating the bonds he shared with each girl. He told Qrow to his face that he loved every one of them, and nothing would change that. And those feelings went both ways it seemed.

Now Taiyang was an experienced hunter, years more than those girls combined, but even he knew he'd be hard-pressed to stop them if they decided to unleash their anger onto him. Looking into Yang's red eyes, he shuddered. She was exactly like her mother, and that meant he was positively screwed. Suddenly Yang smiled and he felt even worse.

"Alright," Yang finally said. "Let's go to bed, girls. After all, we need to be well rested for the match tomorrow." Her harem sisters, plus Nora turned to her confused. "Daddy did what he felt was right. We can't begrudge him that. "

Those words terrified Taiyang. Yang was being compliant. That was far from a good sign. The others seemed to catch on as they too agreed and left Taiyang standing their shocked and even more afraid. Whenever his wife, Yang's mother was compliant with him, it never ended well for him, and Yang certainly inherited more than her mother's looks, that's for sure.

Ren came into the house to see the shaking Taiyang. He shook his head; that poor fool. He should've known better. Oh well, it wasn't his problem. After all, he had more important things to worry about, like his own dad.

He chuckled as realized that between Taiyang, Benkei, and Ethan, none of them were going to win father of the year anytime soon.

::::

Deep in the wilds of Vale sat a large mansion. The natural barriers that surrounded it protected this home from Grimm Attacks. Deep inside said mansion three men were having an important discussion at a table.

The first man had long gray hair, formally yellow, but the harshness of time took its toll on the man. He sat at the head of the table, stroking his long bread in thought. He was in his night robes which kept the man warm at nights.

The second man was a Faunus, a rabbit Faunus with brown hair and eyes. He wore brown leather armor that covered his black body suit. He sat to the man's right, his eyes covered by a pair of glasses.

The final man was a human with blond hair and red eyes. He wore bluish-gray armor and sat at the man's left.

"These…reports you brought to me are very concerning…Evrard…Augustine." The old man said finally.

"Ethan's actions have been increasingly dangerous to his son Jaune," Evrard told the old man. "Father, he has broken many rules and have put him in mortal danger, in what I believe is jealousy."

"His dangerous actions nearly jeopardized the young heir's life and in turn would have put the young heiress of the Scarlatina Family, my daughter, in danger." Augustine added. "I believe that Ethan should be held accountable for his actions, Lord Arc."

"Augustine, I told you to call me Uncle," the old man replied with amusement. Then his eyes got serious. "Still you are both right. Ethan has caused grievous harm to the heir and threatened to tear our families apart with is actions. We shall follow the precepts that have guided our families throughout the ages." The two men eyes widened that that. "Announce to all living Arcs and Scarlatinas. In two months, Ethan Arc will face Jaune Arc in battle. The winner will do with the loser as he wishes."

"Father?" Evrard asked unsure.

Armel Juste Arc stood up from his seat. Even at the ripe age of eighty-six, the man still exuded a powerful Aura that could bring even the strongest man to his knees. Evrard and Augustine took deep breaths, unused to the Arc Family Head releasing his powerful Aura, one of which he kept tightly bound within him. After a while, the Aura slowly receded and the man gave his son and nephew a benign look. "The rules of our families cannot be ignored. They can be changed, but only by a kind and just hand, but never ignored. Ethan and Jaune WILL fight. This is my order."

Both men looked at each other, then at Armel. They bowed their head. "As you command, Lord Armel."

::::

Morning soon came. Jaune stretched as he climbed out of his bed, with his arm working this time. He passed out as soon as he came home, his body tired from the healing, the random hot sex, and traveling all the way back to Vale. Looking at his Scroll, he noted he had a few messages. Most of them from friends, a few…

He blinked, then smiled goofy. The girls sent him a few risqué pictures. Fun stuff indeed! One message though caught his eye. His eyes widen at the sender. He opened the message and read what was detailed.

He nearly dropped his scroll. He was to fight his own father in two months' time for the right to wield Crocea Mors. This was decreed by his grandfather, a man he both respected and feared. Armel Juste Arc, also known as the "Bear of Justice" was a man you do not mess with. That was rule numbers one through twenty of the one hundred things you're not supposed to do when confronting Armel Juste Arc. The rest were ways to form conditions of surrender. He wasn't a hunter like his father and uncles, but a man forged by battles and training. He was born years before the end of the Age of Solidarity, nearly eighty years ago. The man grew up in skirmishes, and battles, and at the end of it all, he was so much more than just a hunter.

He was a warrior god, a legend in his own right. There were rumors that his Semblance was far more terrible than the Coeur Sanglant could ever make him act.

Jaune shivered. He did not want to cross that man. He bet Alain did not want to cross that man, and both of them knew the consequences of not obeying his order. That means he had to train. He was going to wait until after the fight to make those calls, but he had no choice now. He needed that space for training and he needed it soon.

::::

Ren opened his eyes, and for the first time in years, he was ready. Mentally, physically, and spiritually ready for the battle ahead of him. Rising up from his morning meditation, something he hadn't been able to do at Beacon often, he pulled out Storm Flower, his weapons of choice. He gave his bladed guns one final check over, inspected the rounds, and made sure the blade was sharp. He wasn't taking anything to chance against his opponent. His…father.

Even now, after speaking with the man briefly, and learning more about Aura from him, he still couldn't bring himself to trust him. He was grateful that the man was able to help his teammate, but the same man abandoned him and his mother on the day of his birth, and refused to give any reason why.

He shook his head. He would learn the reason, today. He will defeat Benkei, and force it out of him. He quietly left the house and headed in the direction of the forest. He was surprised to see Jaune, back in his traditional clothing, minus the Armor waiting for him. On his back was a new Sword and Shield, the one Benkei made him.

Before Ren could address his leader, Jaune smirked. "What, you thought I'd miss out on this? Come on, I thought you knew me better." Jaune held out his fist.

Ren smirked and bumped Jaune's fist with his own and the two headed into the forest. "So where did you go?"

"I went back to my apartment and crashed. Came back early too," Jaune told Ren. "Ren, there is something I need to tell the team after the fight, regardless if you win or lose."

"Something came up?"

"Something big came up," Jaune told him. "And I'm already making plans."

"Need me to do anything?" Ren questioned.

"Yeah, I might have to bolt after I tell you guys, make sure Team Ruby, Emerald and Neo find out." Jaune answered with a frown. "I would tell them myself but…"

"Yeah I heard what happened last night. Yang put the fear of Grimm into her father. You should've seen him this morning, he said nothing, and Yang kept smiling at him as if he did nothing wrong."

Jaune snorted. "I figured something like that would happen."

"Oh?" Ren looked amused. "Did you actually plan that to happen then?"

"Not at all," Jaune replied honestly. "I just know how our ladies think. We're two lucky guys. Even if I wasn't in a relationship with them, and you and Nora were still in denial-"

"We were not in denial!"

Jaune continued as if he didn't hear Ren. "-They'd crush anyone that hurt us."

"That's true." Ren nodded in agreement. Sometimes it scared him how Nora, Pyrrha, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang could hive mind, and now adding Emerald and Neo to the mix… "Hell hath no fury?"

"Damn straight," Jaune agreed.

The sun was just overhead when they made it to the clearing. Waiting for them were Benkei, Taiyang, and Qrow. Taiyang saw Jaune and weakly glared at him. Jaune was impassive. "So you're finally showed up," Benkei taunted as he leaned against his impossibly large pack.

"I had to pick up Jaune, he was taking too long, and couldn't find the right dress," Ren commented blandly, causing Jaune to chuckle.

"You waited an entire month to get me back about that "blush" comment," Jaune said amused.

"One of us needs to look pretty," Ren replied. "You just need to work harder for it."

Qrow held his stomach in mirth. "Oh my god, Taiyang, they're just like us when we were on our team, except you never did get prettier." Qrow dodged the playful swipe Taiyang gave at him.

"Shut it needle-noggin," Taiyang replied. Then he looked at Jaune.

Jaune sighed. "Look, it's like I told you last night, I got bigger things to worry about, especially since Grandpa sent out a message."

THAT got all three men's attention. "H-He what?" Taiyang asked scared. They KNEW Armel Juste Arc. When he spoke, you listen.

"I'll let Ren fill you in after he's done," Jaune replied nodding. "Unless I'm allowed near your house-"

"Not a chance!" Taiyang snapped.

"Alright," Jaune said shrugging. "Have fun with that." Taiyang twitched. Jaune somehow knew what the girls were doing to him. Seeing that Jaune was trying really hard not to smirk (if the movements of his cheeks were any indication), he was trying real hard not to smirk at him.

"Iffen you two ladies are done," Benkei said holding up a strange weapon. "I'd like to begin.

Ren eyed the weapon that his father wielded. It looked simple enough, an assault rifle with a blade on the butt of the rifle-

His eyes widen. "No…"

"Ah so you recognized my replica. I'll be using this against you. After all, I know this style as well as my own." Benkei said with a grin.

Ren eyes harden. That bastard was using a replica of his mother's weapon, Hurricane Lotus. Unlike his weapon, his mother's was a mecha-shift variety. The concept was simple, but deadly in practice – the gun was a standard Assault Rifle, capable of firing twenty five consecutive shots before needing to be reloaded. It was a powerful single target rifle to be sure, but for multiple targets, that were things gets interesting. The Assault Rifle can mecha-shift into a Guandao, and that's were things get interestings.

Side note for those wondering, the author said breaking the fourth wall for the first time in this story, a Guandao is a Chinese Glaive, said to be invented by Yunchang or for those who played Dynasty Warriors Guan Yu. It was said to be a fearsome weapon, for its deadly strikes and power. Guan Yu was a fearsome opponent after all.

And so was Lie Rae, who wielded the weapon with a great flourish of grace and power. And it seemed like Benkei learned how to use the weapon as well.

Ren gritted his teeth and got into his stance. Jaune moved over to where Qrow and Taiyang was, making sure that Qrow was well in between him and the angry possessive father. Benkei moved closer to Ren, circling his son while Ren began circling him as well. Suddenly Ren began to fire his SMGs, in an attempt to pen his father down quickly. Benkei dodged out of the way, switching his gun to single shot mode, and fired a few rounds to make Ren dodge. But Ren eyes narrowed and he stayed still, letting his father's wild shots pass by him. Smirking he took a step… and blurred.

Eyes widen as everyone realized that Ren had learned how to use Aura Step, just like Jaune had. Benkei quickly mecha-shifted his weapon in to the Guandao just in time as Ren had charged Benkei and swiped at him with the blades of Storm Flower. He blocked two more swipes before he got cut in the arms. Benkei grimaced while Ren grinned. He should've realized the difference between Benkei and his mother before.

Benkei was a larger, slower man than his mother, who was very lithe and agile, like he was. Still he needed to be careful. His eyes widen as he felt the wind get knocked out of him. Sparing time to look down, Ren saw Benkei's leg in his stomach. As if time suddenly restarted, Ren flew far and fast through a tree only to get stopped by another. He let out a gasp of pain as stars filled his vision.

'_O-okay, the old man is strong. I haven't felt a pain like this since I first sparred with Nora when she made Magnhild,' _Ren thought as he slowly rose to his feet. '_Alright he might be slow to move and dodge, but he can counter attack hard.' _He chuckled as he felt his Aura refill. '_I might have the lowest capacity between the two teams but I can keep up because mine refills the fastest. Alright "dad" let's see you stop this!' _

Benkei watched wearily as Ren "sheathed" his gun in his sleeves. He took one step and blurred. Benkei swung his weapon hoping to catch the boy mid step, but Ren did something even Jaune couldn't do, change direction. Benkei eyes widen as he watched the blur that was his son wrap around in the opposite direction of his swing only to appear inside of his guard. Ren delivered a powerful Aura Strike to his father, sending him flying backwards, making Benkei drop his weapon, but Ren wasn't done there. Still "Aura Stepping", Ren chased his flying father and tried to capitalize on his defenseless state. But Benkei wasn't a fighter for his health. As soon as Ren descended on him, he suddenly righted himself and punched Ren in the face, mid Aura Step. Ren spun in midair from the impact only to land on the ground, vision swimming. Benkei landed on his feet after that blow.

"Not bad son," Benkei said wheezing slightly. He had never been hit like that before. Ren was really proficient in hand-to-hand combat, something one would normally never use against a Grimm. Rae didn't have that problem and their son was showing him neither did he.

Jaune watched the fight pensively. "He's going to hurt himself if he keeps this up."

"What are you talking about?" Qrow asked confused.

"I don't know how he learned the Aura Step, I don't even think he was there when I gave the girls the basic run down on how it worked." Jaune explained. "Crazy thing, he's even better than I am. The fact that he can do multiple steps already in such a short time."

"It might because he has less Aura to begin with," Taiyang commented. "You probably have a hard time using it because you have two large Auras correct?"

"Yeah, I seem to burn though a lot of Aura even for one step," Jaune replied.

"Ren doesn't have that problem as he's used to managing his Aura well," Taiyang explained. "Those "steps" aren't draining him as much as say you or I. Added to the fact that if he's like his mother, then he's probably the best candidate to use it."

"How so?" Jaune asked interested.

"Lie Rae had a small Aura too, but her Semblance made up for it. You probably know this by now, but Ren is quite fragile on the battle field."

"Yeah," Jaune agreed as he remembered Ren passing out after being thrown into a pillar by the Deathstalker. Now that he thought back on it, Ren knew about Aura back then, and probably didn't remember he could use it to soften blows like that.

"Rae was like that too, but like I said, her Semblance made up for her shortcomings. You see, Rae's Semblance was aptly named Spirit Regeneration, because as long as she had a drop of Aura in her system, it would refill almost immediately."

"T-That's…" Jaune faded off shocked.

"Amazing? It's the reason why the Lie Family is still considered one of the most powerful Hunter Family out there. Their small reserves don't do much for Aura Magic, but they can empower their blows with Aura and deal serious damage, and keep on dealing it until they either get hurt or finish the job." Qrow explained. "You probably saw Ren get knocked out by something, correct? Ren can't increase his toughness with his Aura because of how it flows. He can heal, and augment his strength, but his defenses are paper thin. Learning your Aura Step must have been easy for him."

"Well in any case, I hope he doesn't use it to much," Jaune said worried. "Even when protected by our Aura, the human body can't move like that often. Muscles will eventually start to tear."

Ren didn't hear any of that as he slowly got up, his Magenta eyes boring into his fathers. _'Oh no, I'm not going down that easily. I'm taking you out now!' _Ren roared in his head as he ran at his father at a sluggish pace. Benkei sighed despondently. His son didn't know when to quit. He didn't want to hurt the boy, but the boy should realize his limits. Benkei got into a rudimentary fighting stance. Benkei was a weapon master first and foremost, and his most prize weapon was his body and mind. Benkei could fight hand-to-hand like the best of them.

Ren didn't care for any of that, as he had a plan. He could feel his Aura topping off once more, and his vision clearing up as he neared Benkei. Suddenly Ren blurred again, now inside Benkei's guard. Benkei eyes widen as he felt the first punch connect, then the second, and then the third.

The spectators watched as Ren's arms suddenly blurred striking Benkei before one more strike sent the older man airborne, but Ren wasn't done there. He launched himself into the air, for one last kick. He moved so fast that it looked like Ren went through his father, leaving a trail of magenta Aura trailing from his kick. Benkei landed on the ground, unconscious after that vicious assault, with Ren landing on his feet before falling to his knees a few feet away. His muscles were screaming violently at him. But none of that mattered as he turned around to see the fallen Benkei.

He did it. He beat his father! And yet…he felt that the victory was hollow, unimpressive. As a fighter, he prided himself on understanding his opponents through combat. And all he could feel from the older man was regret. He wanted to fight Ren, that was for sure, but he regretted something. No…Ren knew what Benkei regretted.

"Damn it!" He screamed. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Jaune rushed over to his teammate's side. "Ren?" He helped the teen up.

"I'm not supposed to feel sorry for him," Ren said as he looked at the fallen man. "He left my mother- he left me all alone! And yet all I could sense from him was regret! An overbearing, suffocating sense of regret! That he somehow felt bad about what he did, but he did it anyways. It's…it's not fair…"

"Come on, Ren," Jaune said. "Let's get you back to the house to get you patched." Jaune spared Taiyang a look, and Taiyang nodded. This was far more important than how he felt about the boy, he'd let it pass this time. Jaune and Ren left, leaving the three men, two standing, one unconscious, alone.

Taiyang looked down at the fallen Benkei. "You're a horrible actor, Benny."

"Says the guy who didn't get his ass kicked by his child," Benkei groaned out in pain.

"Not yet," Qrow said amused. "He did get the ire of eight individual women last night."

"…sucks to be you," Benkei said chuckling as Taiyang glared at them both.

"So why don't you tell us why you left Rae alone?" Qrow asked seriously.

Benkei sighed and looked at the blue sky above him. "You know how they say the "sins of the Father shouldn't affect the son"? Well…let's just say I've been cleaning up the trouble my father left me."

"For over seventeen years?" Taiyang asked confused.

"He left me some pretty big sins, Tai…" Benkei said quietly. "Do you guys remember the Syndicate?"

Qrow and Taiyang looked at each other. They knew they weren't going to like what they were about to hear.

**End of Chapter 18**


	21. Chapter 19

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_You know it's not the first time in this story that I've had to scrap an entire chapter due to how poorly I thought of it. This chapter took me days because I did know how to convey the issue that needed to be addressed in this chapter. That and I've been talking with other writers who, quite honestly, think poorly of my story. I don't hold it against them; I began writing this without an BETA and out of boredom so a lot of my decisions in this story stem from…how did Pyrrha say? "Letting the chips fall where they may?" I could be wrong on that quote. Anyways, once the story is over, I'll probably move on to new projects, but I'll probably rewrite this monster of a story, most probably without the Harem Aspect, and probably a more coherent plot. _

_In any event, thanks for the support guys. Really, my peers might think badly about my story, but you guys keep it alive by wanting more! And like I said before, I want to see where this goes too, y'know? So I hope you're ready for this chapter – it's going to be one serious ride._

_If you got a RWBY community or forums, let me know in a review or PM. I would love to talk with more fans of the show and whatnot._

_Also 200+ Reviews…wow…when I started back in what...2008? Wow…that nearly…what six years? Six years of writing off and on, and I didn't even think I would be able even get that many reviews. Don't get me wrong. I've gotten...quite a few reviews for my other stories, but none of them carried this much…I don't know what, for a story I wrote. When I broke the two hundred mark…I was shocked. I had noticed my reviews before, but I really didn't think of the significance of the stats. _

_Three Hundred and Six people favored this story while another Three Hundred and Fifty Three are following the progress of this piece of literature. And the reviews…_

_You know, even if I don't get a Christmas present this year, like I didn't last year, I'd like to think that this is my Christmas present. Reviews, Alert, and favs aren't much in the grand scheme of things, but it feels nice to feel loved I guess._

_**Chapter 19 – Sins**_

_**[Eighteen Years Earlier]**_

_Benkei stared in shock and surprise at his drinking buddy of over twelve years. Said man, Napier grinned at Benkei, his mixed eyes of brown and green twinkling in the low light of the bar they were in._

"_Yer shittin' me," Benkei said in shock. "Yer having a kid too?"_

"_Yep," Napier said taking a generous gulp of his beer. "You know, that face brings back memories. You were like that when I told you I was getting married."_

"_Excuse me if I'm dumbstruck at that prospect," Benkei said, his shocked look melting into an amused grin. "After all, most of our friends thought you were a girl for the first two years at Beacon."_

_Napier groaned, "Don't remind me. I'm thirty years old and I'm still getting confused for a woman sometimes. I think it's my voice."_

"_You do sound girly," Benkei agreed causing the other man to glare at him. "What?"_

_Napier leered at Benkei. "You don't like my voice, Benny?" he asked seductively._

_Benkei shivered. "UGH, don't do that! That's really creepy, man."_

"_Why? Is it because it's sexy or that I do it better than Rae?" Napier asked innocently. Benkei said nothing as he took a long drink from his mug. Napier just grinned._

"_Oh shut up!" Benkei growled out. Napier laughed as he watched his friend and teammate blush slightly._

_Napier soon calmed down, "So a boy, huh. Have you and Rae figured out a name?"_

"_We're going to name him after her grandfather and teacher: Lie Ren."_

"_Lie Ren…sounds strong, dependable." Napier told Benkei. "You know, I began thinking of names for my kid too."_

"_You don't even know if it's a boy or a girl," Benkei commented. "How can you even pick a name for it?"_

"_Ari said it's never too early to think of names." Napier replied with a smile. Benkei nodded. Rae was the same way, but Benkei was never good at naming things, a bad trait for a blacksmith. Benkei snorted at that thought. Napier looked confused. "What is it?"_

"_It's just a thought, don't worry about it," Benkei told the multi-colored haired man. "So, the names?"_

"_Well I was thinking Jade or Neopolitan." Napier said simply. "Both names are fairly unisex."_

"_Neopolitan…would you seriously doom yer kid over your ice cream addiction?" Benkei asked with a deadpan expression._

"_I-It's not an addiction!" Napier sputtered. "And besides, I've already figured that the kid would have Aria's hair color in some way."_

_Benkei stared at Napier. "How?"_

"_Call it huntsman intuition."_

"_We're not huntsmen, Napier. I'm a Blacksmith, and you're, you're…what do you do? All you told Ethan and I was you're in Show Business or something." Benkei retorted. _

_Napier looked towards the clock on the wall. "Trade secret. Come on, I'll cover the drinks this time, it's getting late." Benkei nodded._

_A few minutes later, both men stepped out the bar. Benkei looked at the cloudy sky. "Huh…looks like rain…" Napier nodded in agreement. Suddenly both men tensed. Benkei snorted. "That's a lot of men for the two of us." _

_Napier's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the area. Several dozen men, all wearing black suits and ties were posted everywhere. Some of them were eying them, watching them. "What did you do?"_

"_Lately?" Benkei asked amused. There wasn't any humor on his face. _

_One of the men walked up to them. "Excuse me gentlemen, but our boss would like a word with you."_

"_Well since you're asking nicely," Benkei replied sarcastically. Both Napier and Benkei were escorted around the block to a limousine. "Nice ride." Benkei commented._

"_He likes to think so," the man replied dryly. He opened the door. "If you would…"_

_The teammates looked at each other. Benkei sighed and got in first, followed by Napier. Once inside the limo, it began to move. Inside, Benkei and Napier started in shock at the man in the vehicle with them._

::::

"It was Oricalcum, in the flesh," Benkei finished as he took a sip of his beer. Benkei, Ren, Jaune, Qrow, and Taiyang were sitting in the living room. The girls were surprised to find out that the father and son had their fight earlier than expected. Actually, only Team Ruby, Emerald, and Neo were surprised. Nora was quite upset that her boyfriend didn't bother to wake her for the fight, and Pyrrha wasn't surprised at all as she and Ren were usually the first ones to wake up back at Beacon. Nora and Jaune were both heavy sleepers, the former due to always crashing hard due to her sugar intake and the latter because he always slept hard when he trained.

Benkei had requested that the ladies not listen into the story because he didn't want "pity" as it were. Yang, Emerald, Blake, and Weiss snorted at those words but honored the request regardless. Where they went, Jaune and Ren didn't know, but they both promised the girls that they'd inform them when everything was over.

"I didn't know that Napier was Neo's father," Jaune commented with a frown. "Does she know?"

"Honestly I don't know if she knows or not." Benkei replied.

"But you knew." Jaune pointed out.

"From the moment I saw you two. Seein' you two together reminded me of the good ole' days." Benkei admitted with a sigh. "Napier was always the girly one, Dust bless his soul."

"Let's get back on track here," Qrow said with a frown. "So Oricalcum was in the back of that limo? And from your words, he worked for The Syndicate?"

"Worked for? The guy was-"

::::

"_-the son of The Syndicate's head?!" Napier exclaimed shocked. Benkei eyes were wide with shock too as Oricalcum grinned. "You told us you were an orphan!"_

"_A small lie to be sure," Oricalcum replied smoothly, his steel gray eyes twinkling with amusement at his old teammates' reaction. "Besides, that bastard the headmaster knew. After all, he orchestrated our entire team to be together. Think about it: the nearly exiled son of the great Armel Juste Arc, the son of The Syndicate's head, the son of the Bloodsmith, and the son of the Siren of the Death. We were doomed to fail from the start."_

"_Ori, what happened wasn't your fault-" Napier began._

"_No I know it wasn't my fault," Oricalcum replied with a glare. "That bastard the Headmaster of Beacon set me up to take the fall, to save his own ass. And what made it worst that you guys didn't believe me!"_

"_We were told at the last possible minute!" Benkei rebuked angrily. "All we heard from his assistant was that he needed to talk to you, and that was it! Next thing we know, we're all getting expelled from Beacon! We could barely cover our own asses!"_

_Oricalcum shook his head, "It doesn't matter, you should've known something was up. But that's in the past…and this is now. Gentlemen, I have a proposition for you both. How about you two work for me now, and I'll let what happened go."_

"_How bout no," Napier replied frowning. "What my mother, and Benkei's father did for the syndicate…that's them. We have our own lives."_

"_And two very pregnant wives," Oricalcum continued for him with a nod. "It'll be a shame if something happened to them." A cold feeling settled in both mens' stomach. "And something will happen to them if you disagree."_

"_Y-You bastard!" Benkei roared. "You better not touch a damn hair on Rae's head or-"_

"_Or you'll what?" Oricalcum asked with a sick grin. "I want to know! Give me a reason to give the order, Benny-boy!"_

_Benkei was about to lunge at the man but Napier put a hand on his shoulder. "So it's come to this, eh Ori? Holding our loved ones hostage for petty revenge?"_

"_If I wanted petty revenge, I'd just have them be killed and be done with it," Oricalcum admitted with a frown. "No, what I want is you serving me, making weapons for my men, and killing who I want dead, and I'm not taking no for an answer."_

_Napier looked at Ori, before looking at Benkei. Benkei was glaring at the traitorous man, but he was calming down. "Give us a year to get our affairs in order." Napier told his former partner. "I'm sure Benkei would want to see his son born, and Aria just got pregnant, and I refuse to leave her side for any reason."_

_Oricalcum looked at his former teammates and grinned. "I can do that just fine. I'm not an unreasonable guy, and you guys are my teammates after all. One year, and then you will come to me."_

_Napier nodded and Benkei grunted in agreement. Oricalcum had them trapped anyways. At least they could make sure that their loved ones were safe._

::::

The other men in the room looked at Benkei in shocked, Ren especially. "Y-You mean to tell me that you left mother and I…to protect us?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Benkei asked confused. "Ren, I love your mother, I still do, and I would die for her and you."

Taiyang and Qrow looked ashamed. They hadn't thought that was the reason Benkei left Rae, and they assumed the worst of him, just like everyone else. Jaune frowned. "So you worked for the Syndicate for nearly seventeen years?"

"Actually it was fifteen years." Benkei admitted. "You see, it was ten years after we were forced to join them that Napier came up with a plan. You see, Napier was far better than his mother in using their Semblance and came up with a plan. He began orchestrating the total destruction of The Syndicate from the inside out. And so for five years, many of the members were either killed in accidents due to misinformation or being found out by government officials, and I got to take back every single weapon I made for them." The four men's eyes widen as they looked at Benkei's giant pack of weapons. "Yep. Every weapon I ever made, pried from their cold dead hands."

"So…what happened to Napier?"

"He decided to take out the head of the Syndicate."

::::

"_Are you fucking crazy?!" Benkei nearly yelled. He and Napier were inside his private forge. With the…money he earned, he decided to build one of his own, refusing to use the ones monitored by the Syndicate._

"_No more than usual," Napier admitted with a grin. "Don't worry, I have a plan."_

"_The last time you said that, I ended running out in front of a bastard with a flamethrower, in my boxers, clucking like a chicken." Benkei reminded Napier with a frown. "Even that bastard Oricalcum was confused at that."_

::::

"Wait what?" Qrow asked amused. Jaune and Ren looked amused as well.

"Don't ask." Benkei told the spikey-haired man.

"No no, I have to know this!" Qrow insisted. He was suddenly smacked up side his head. "Ow!"

"Not now, needle-noggin. We can always ask later." Taiyang said with an amused grin.

"Not if I have something to say about it." Benkei grumbled.

::::

"_Will you let that go already?" Napier asked exasperated. "Besides it worked didn't it?"_

"_I still got burns on my ass." Benkei deadpanned._

"_Ah you got better." Napier said waving him off. "In any event, my plan is already set in motion. By tomorrow morning, we will be free men."_

_Benkei stared at Napier with a frown. Then he huffed. "I guess I can't let you go off doing whatever alone. Tell me what I need to do…"_

"_Before that, I want you to keep something for me…"_

_Benkei looked at Napier confused…_

::::

"Damned fool," Benkei muttered sadly. "He had no intention of coming out of that fight alive, and made sure I got out okay." Ren looked as his father sadly. His old man was almost fifty years old, and he had suffered a lot.

"I forgive you," Ren told his father quietly. Benkei looked at his son. "You did what you had to do protect Mom and I. I can respect that. Mom always said that you were the bravest man she had ever met and I can see that now."

"Thank you son…" Benkei said with a smile on his face.

"I hate to interrupt, but what did Napier leave you?" Jaune asked confused. Qrow and Taiyang nodding at the question. "It must have been important if you had mentioned it."

"What he left me was this," Benkei reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a second generation Scroll. "Its his own Scroll, and in it is his last words for his precious daughter. I want you to give it to her Jaune. She's closer to you than any of us."

Jaune nodded and accepted the device. "I'll give it to her when we leave tomorrow."

"Thank you Jaune. You're a good man and I'm happy that my son has found such an honorable and loyal friend in you." Benkei praised. Jaune looked embarrassed.

::::

Taiyang pulled Jaune to the side, the latter looking slightly frightened. "Look Jaune, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk." Jaune nodded as Taiyang pulled out a cigarette and put it to his lips. Jaune jumped slightly as it suddenly lit. "What, you thought Yang got her Semblance from her mother? There's a reason why my name literally means "Supreme Sun"." he pointed out.

"I-I see..."

"Listen Jaune, I'm an old man. I got this way by keeping one foot in the game and another by protecting my daughters. I love them dearly and I would kill the person – man or woman – who would hurt them. And over the last few days I've seen that you care deeply about them. Which is why I want you to protect them just as hard as I do." Taiyang told the younger man.

"You don't have to tell me that sir, I would've done so even if I didn't love them." Jaune admitted. "They're my friends after all. They stood by me even when I didn't believe in myself. Ruby showed me that the best leader isn't the strongest or the wisest, but one that protects and cares about their team. And Yang has repeatedly shown that you're at your best when you're protecting the ones you care about. I've learned so much from my loves. Honestly I still feel like I don't deserve them."

Taiyang chuckled. "Us guys always feel like that when we're around the ones we love. It's a blessing and a curse I'd say."

"Yeah…well I'll need all the blessings I can get in a few months."

"I was wondering about that," Taiyang said taking a puff and blowing out a ring of smoke. "What did old Armel decree this time?"

Jaune sighed. "Grandpa decreed that I have to fight my father in two months. At first I thought it was just for Crocea Mors, but the wording made me even more nervous. "The Winner decides the fate of the loser"? That's a bit extreme, even for me, but I know my dad, he's going to take this seriously and so am I."

"Jesus kid…do you have a plan at least?" Taiyang asked.

"I commandeered one of the empty mansions and had my stuff moved into it. I'll be using the grounds around it for training and I'll probably live there for the rest of my days if I don't die," Jaune admitted morbidly. "They're even bringing my ship."

"You have a ship?" Taiyang asked confused.

"It's a new generation one too," Jaune confirmed with a grin. "It's called the Excalibur."

"I need to see this," Taiyang commented with a grin.

::::

The next morning, Jaune led everyone down to the sky dock. What awaited them surprised and shocked them. Instead of a Bullhead waiting at the docks, another ship awaited them. Its design was nothing they had ever seen before. It was big, bigger than any ship they had ever seen before, with a white, teal, blue, and black pain design. It had large wing-like appendages on the back that seemed to keep it afloat. On the side of the ship and on the wing, Jaune's iconic symbol in black.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Jaune announced. "Meet my personal ship, the Excalibur."

Ruby and Nora had stars in their eyes. Ruby was a big fan of machines and technology and so was Nora, though she was much quieter about it. "What kind of ship is it?" Ruby asked excited.

"I'm glad you asked, Ruby my dear," Jaune said with a grin. "This is one of fifty Corvette Class Airships that exist. If your confused, think of it like this – A Bullhead is consider a Fighter Class vehicle, and I could fit two of them inside the Excalibur."

"Jaune, can we ride it, please, please, please!" Nora said bouncing around her leader.

Jaune chuckled. "I was hoping you would ask, Nora. In fact, I want to invite not only our team, but Team Ruby, Emerald and Neo to ride along."

"Why is that?" Weiss asked confused.

"Well, I was hoping you guys would come and see my new place as well," Jaune said with a grin.

"Your "new" place? You're moving?" Ren questioned.

"I moved into one of the mansions my family owns." Jaune replied with a shrug. Then he gave them a smile, reminding them all (minus the adults, Emerald, and Neo) of the old Jaune. "Besides, it'll be pretty boring with just me and the staff that maintains it."

Weiss immediately responded. "Let me contact my father and let him know of the change of plans." She left to make a private call.

"I got to call my father too," Pyrrha said following Weiss.

Ruby and Yang looked at Taiyang who just sighed. "I already had a formal talk with Jaune and he gets my approval. So yes, you two can go."

Yang looked at her father surprised. "Dad?"

Taiyang said nothing at first, only pulling out cig and lighting it. "I'm getting old Yang, and you girls are getting older. Don't let me stop you from following your hearts." He grunted as his daughters hugged him. "Of course the house is going to feel empty again with just me and Zwei."

"Don't worry dad, we'll come to visit you often." Ruby told him quietly.

"Yeah, and you got Uncle Qrow to look after you," Yang pointed out.

Taiyang looked at Qrow who gave his friend a thumb up. "Gee girls, you make me feel happy already, leaving me with Needle-Noggin and all." He deadpanned.

"Aww! I love you too Tai Tai!" Qrow said with a grin.

Meanwhile Benkei was talking with Ren. "You go on ahead. I'll let Rae know what you're doing."

"Are you sure?" Ren asked concerned.

"I went Seventeen years without holding the woman I love, Ren, and now I can do that without fear or worry." Benkei told him. "I'm more than sure. I'll also let Nora's folks know as well."

"Thanks dad," Ren said holding out his hand.

Benkei frowned. "C'mere you!" Ren yelped as Benkei suddenly hugged him. Nora looked at Ren who was mouthing "help me". Nora giggled and shook her head no. To her, they needed it.

Blake, Emerald, and Neo stood around waiting to board the ship. Unlike the other girls, they were self-sufficient in how they lived and really didn't report to a guardian. Well Blake never reported to Adam, and Emerald rarely reported to Cinder. Neo haven't heard anything from Roman, said man probably was laying low.

A short while later, after everything was settled, Team JNNPR (Juniper – Jaune, Neo, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren) and Team RWBEY (Ruby – Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Emerald, and Yang) boarded the massive airship and soon departed.

Benkei and Taiyang watched as the airship disappeared in the distance. "There they go…" Benkei said quietly.

"Yep." Taiyang agreed with the sentiment Benkei was conveying. Everything was quiet until they heard a loud sniff. Taiyang and Benkei looked to their right. "The hell?"

Qrow was crying. "They grow up so fast, mama! Why did our children leave the nest so soon, mama?" Qrow then latched onto Taiyang.

"Let go of me Needle-noggin! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Benkei could only chuckle at their antics. _'Some people never change do they, eh Napier?'_ He looked at sky where the Airship was now a speck. _'Oricalcum and his woman are still out there. They survived your attack…and they're working for Alain Arc as members of the Einherjar…I wonder…should I have told Jaune and Ren?'_ Benkei shook his head. _'No…knowing Jaune, he'll deal with them sooner or later and then you can rest easy buddy, especially since your daughter is in good hands.'_

::::

Neo looked down at the old Scroll Jaune had just handed to her. He had brought her to his private quarters on the airship and told her about the device, and what Benkei had told him and Ren. She knew of her father, the man named Napier. Her mother talked about him when she was younger, before her mother died. She held no attachment to the man…but a part of her wanted to know why her father left her and her mother alone for so long.

She opened the Scroll and was surprised to find only one recording on it. It was from Napier…addressed to her.

She pressed play.

"**To my beloved daughter, Neopolitan…"** Napier's voice began.

The words that followed would be ingrained into her soul forever.

**End of Chapter 19**

_Post AN: Wow, it took me forever to do this, but that's the end of the first mini Arc before the war. Yes the first, I hope you guys didn't forget the other plot point I set up during this thing! Next up, is the second half of this filler, and the second and final mini arc, one I'll like to call "The Return of Evil" Arc._

_If you want to know what the Excalibur looks like, check my profile. I did poorly at describing it, but I realized something._

_There's not much description of the technology given in RWBY. I mean we can see it, and we know they can basically create Reploids (yes I consider Penny a freaking Reploid) but still…_

_I'll be incorporating a lot of technology and advancing this AU world of RWBY. I'll see you all later for Chapter 20._


	22. Chapter 20

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_Gosh…uh…what…what can I say but thanks guys. Seriously. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. _

_I could go on a long winded spiel about it, but I'm…speechless. Thank you._

_I guess before I begin the new section, I'll discuss some things._

_GreatZero's reaction to the ship Jaune now owns was slightly hilarious but kind of hold some truths. I do believe the picture I got is one of the airship designs from Final Fantasy X and there's a reason for that._

_Other than the Bullhead, which…I think I REALLY need to go back in my story and change EVERY instance of that vehicle being mentioned cause I've probably been calling it a "Bullhorn" or something, the Airship that transported the students to Beacon, The train the White Fang attacked, Yang's Bumblebee, Ironwood's Ironwood (cause its totally a dick waving contest), and the normal vehicles being drove around Vale, there's a distinct lack of vehicular technology and I'm pretty sure not everyone who can fly OWN a Bullhead, so I've been going through other animes and video games picking vehicles and technology to use and adding it to this menagerie I like to call a story. It is a bit weird looking even in the Universe it came from, but still…_

_I hope it really doesn't bother you much, as I'll be adding more and more tech and explaining how it works in correlation of the RWBY verse. Go Technology!_

_I would also like to thank __The3o0 for helping me with this chapter and Rami for Karias Nikos. Without them, this chapter would've not come out before Christmas! This one is short, and I promise you the next one will be longer!_

_Speaking of Christmas, I want to wish you all a good one and a Happy New Year!_

**Chapter 20 – Genesis**

_**[Underground Research Facility – One Week Ago]**_

The room held an ominous luminescence about it as scientists worked away diligently in the dimly lit room. Giant tubes with an emerald glow accented this as many of the scientists were staring at creatures that floated in them.

Suddenly a door on the far end of the room; a man with golden blond hair wearing a black crow mask entered the room flanked by two individuals. The first was a man with long dark green hair. He wore a dark gray kimono and carried a katana on his side. His eyes were covered with bandages, though beneath them were marks indicating some form of surgery. To the blond man's right was a woman with red hair and golden eyes. On her head was a pair of horns that, if were as sharp as they looked, could do serious damage. Her irises were mere slits, giving her an almost reptilian look. She wore a fine business suit, which was a stark contrast to the outfit of the green haired man.

"This is the lab, Lord Alain," the dragon faunus woman said.

Alain smirked. "So…the rumors were true…Vacuo was planning to start another war, to obtain a higher status as far as military strength and recognition goes…"

"That's right," the woman said confirming his theory. "They began working on a new type of augment, one they called "Project Metal Eden". With this new military enhancement, one lone soldier would be worth a dozen or more huntsmen, or so they say. In reality, its simply full on metal augmentation of their bodies. The man who spearheaded this project was-"

"Doctor Sirius Stratos," the green haired man said calmly. "The same man who took my eyes…"

"Shin, do not interrupt me again." The woman told the green haired man with a frown.

"You're wasting our time, Sol," Shin said frowning. "Get to the point."

"Fine," Sol huffed. "They also used this technology to artificially control creatures of Grimm. As you can see," She motioned to the dozens of tubes that contained Beowolves with Metal Augments on their body. "The project was in full swing until we obtained the country."

"It was rather easy to do so," Alain commented with a grin. "Vacuo was always a weak country military wise, and with them funneling their money into this research, their pathetic excuse for a vanguard was easily wiped out. Their council forfeited the country in a span of one night." Alain walked up to one of the iridescent glass tubes and looked at the Metallically Augmented Grimm. "What remains of their military is too weak to add to my own…however…" Alain's grin began turning sadistic as plans began to form in his head. "Shin. I have a job for you. I want you to pay my cousin a visit."

"Shall I kill him?" Shin queried.

"No…I do not want him dead by your hands. Though I do want you to fight him, and then report back to me." Alain commanded. "I want to see how far he progressed since he slain Minos."

"As you command, Lord Alain." Shin said before vanishing into thin air.

"Sol, I want you to push production on these…Metal Grimm." Alain told the woman.

"Sir?" Sol questioned.

"These prosthetics would only serve to make our men cocky," Alain commented. "But these things…they will undoubtedly make excellent additions to my forces…not to mention my plan…"

Sol looked at her lord confused but only nodded. She didn't know what he was planning, but as long as it didn't kill her, she had no problems with it.

::::

_**[Present Time]**_

"Again." Ruby commanded authoritatively.

Jaune panted as he looked at his youngest girlfriend. "I don't think I manage another set right now, I'm bushed." He said to her as he wiped the sweat from his brow. It had been a mere week since he, his girls, and the remainder of his team had taken residence inside his newly attained mansion: Automne Chateau d'Arc. The place was placed close to Vale City, located nearer to the ocean in the forest of Forever Fall. In times past, it was a forward base, positioned strategically to protect Vale City from sea-born threats. After the time of the war, it was owned by the Arcs, and slowly transformed into a large mansion-esque castle that stood as a reminder of wars past. Jaune sort of felt bad for commandeering the place – it practically being a national monument, but it was the only place available, and luckily for him, nobody visited the place, and for good reason: The only two ways to reach the plot of land was by the main road, that lead into the high-end residential district of Vale City, which was slightly dangerous due to the Grimm, and by sea.

Ruby looked at Jaune, inspecting him closely. "We can take a break for now I guess. Your Aura levels are low…" She gave him a concerned look. "Are you feeling alright? You're not feeling any weirdness with your Aura are you?"

Jaune chuckled. "No, nothing like that," he replied, attempting to wave off her concern. "When I Aura Step, it takes a lot out of me, which is why we're training it right now. If I do it enough times, I should be able to reduce the amount of energy exerted when I use it, and be able to manipulate it fully in battle."

Ruby nodded at his explanation, "I get that, but why am I helping you? Shouldn't Ren be helping you since he mastered it?"

Jaune grumbled, "I still don't know HOW he learned it," he said before shaking his head. "Your Semblance is speed, and your speed is unrivaled. You're the perfect person to learn from." Jaune admitted.

Ruby sighed, "When you told me we'd be spending time alone together, this is not what I had in mind…" She told him.

Jaune chuckled nervously, raising a hand to the back of his head, this being a habit of his when he becomes nervous, "Sorry Rubes," he apologized. "Let me make it up to you."

"And how do you suppose you would do that?" Ruby asked raising a delicate eye brow.

Jaune twitched internally. _'Weiss must be rubbing off on her…well, she is her partner after all…'_ "How…bout…a date? Just the two of us, we can head out to the city and have dinner and catch a movie."

Ruby blinked, and then blushed. "S-sure Jaune. What time?"

Pulling out his Scroll, noting his Aura was touching the red, he switched its mode from combat to normal, as he noted the time. "I'd say in around…an hour or so? That'll make it Six P.M." Jaune blinked as he realized the large room they were in was now empty, with the exception of him. He chuckled and began to leave the room. He needed a shower.

::::

Deep in the darkest woods, a lone figure sat near a bonfire. A visible wisp of air left their exhaling mouth as they got closer to the warmth producing fire. The figure pulled out a Scroll, an older model, and read the message it contained. The figure chuckled.

"So, son of mine, you've recovered enough to begin training," the figure said amused. "I was so sure the injuries you had would have forced your knee to bend. No matter, there is no possible way for you to best me in combat."

Suddenly a ghostly woman made out of a dark aura, appearing to be made from nothing solid, being partially translucent, materialized, came forth, and wrapped her arms around the man.

"**Your son has forsaken my gift of carnage, my dearest Ethan." **The woman's ethereal, wispy voice told him.

"He was a fool to disregard your power, lady Morganna. A mistake I would not even dream of making." Ethan replied as a red ring began forming around the irises of his eyes.

"**Once you defeat your traitorous son, you will become a true hero…" **She whispered seductively. **"A hero that can free me of my curse."**

Ethan smiled darkly. "I will become the hero to surpass even my foolish father."

Morganna grinned, her smile being equally as dark as that of the twisted man before her, as she left the man, similarly to how she appeared. .

::::

Jaune grinned as he looked at himself in the mirror appraisingly. "When an Arc cleans up, he really cleans up." He said with confidence. Jaune was dressed in a white tee and blue jean pants. Over the tee was a simple black jacket that he left open. It short, sweet, and really hoped the ladies loved it. He grabbed his usual sneakers and slipped them on. He soon heard a knock on his door. "Come in."

In stepped in a male coyote Faunus with dark blue hair and an green eye stepped in. Over his right eye was an eye patch. He wore a simple black suit, white shirt, and black tie. He also wore black gloves. He was slightly older than Jaune, in his early twenties. "Are you prepared, Master Jaune?"

Jaune groaned. "Kieran, I told you, call me Jaune. Jaune! We've been friends for years!" Jaune said exasperated.

"I've been in your service for years," Kieran replied monotone, but Jaune could see the amusement in his visible eye. "I've never agreed to be your friend."

Jaune sighed and moved to leave. Kieran moved to the side to allow his master exit and followed him. "You say that now, but whose idea was it to dye Uncle Augustine's hair hot pink?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Kieran retorted. "I did, however, record that moment."

Jaune chuckled, "I see…" He waited a few moments. "So did you ever get over your crush on Velvet?"

Kieran tripped in a perfectly clean hall. "W-What?!"

"You heard me, you have better hearing than I do." Jaune pointed out with a smirk on his face.

"I assure you my feelings for Mistress Scarlatina is strictly platonic in nature only!" Kieran said with a light blush on his face. The blush went away as a frown grew in its place, "Besides, nobody would want a freak like me."

Jaune frowned at his friend's word. Kieran was the son of two brilliant scientists in Vacuo. They had been the first, the pioneers in Aura Prosthesis, artificial limbs that ran on the person's Aura. The idea was sound, but they soon realized that the prosthetics were draining on the person and the amount of the drain wasn't safe for proper use. So they decided to create a supplemental energy source using purified Dust Crystals, formed into diamond-like shapes they called Refractors.

Unfortunately, the first ever Refractor had detonated. Kieran and his mother were in the room at the time, a young Kieran was trying to get her away from her work for a while. His mother died, and Kieran was critically injured, losing his right arm and leg, half his right side, and his eye. With his son barely hanging on a limb, Kieran's father begged Grau Schnee, a tentative business partner and the current head of the Schnee Dust Company, to use his facilities to save his son.

Grau agreed on the condition that Kieran's father turned over all of his research to the Schnee Dust Company. It was dirty, underhanded, and some say down-right evil, but the man was desperate. After saving Kieran, the man fell ill and eventually died. Kieran was orphaned, a ward of the state when the Scarlatina's hired him as a body guard for Velvet and himself. His prosthetic arm came equipped with an energy weapon depending on the Dust Refractor he had loaded in it. His favorite was the wind Refractor.

"Look K'," Jaune began stopping the body guard. "You could've left years ago, joined Beacon, and became a Huntsman, and yet here you are, protecting two people that don't need protecting. You could've made something with your life."

"Jaune…" Kieran whispered.

"Once you drop Ruby and I off, go call Velvet and tell her how you feel." Jaune told him.

"B-But how! I mean she's her and I'm…well…a robot!"

"Just be yourself. No pickups lines, no suave moves, and definitely call her Velvet and not "Mistress" unless you're into that stuff." Jaune said with a grin. "I promise you, that's the way to go."

Kieran was stunned. "T-Thanks Jaune…that was…surprising insightful of you…you did grow a brain since the last time I saw you."

"Hey!" Both men chuckled and continued on their way, one of them feeling much better about themselves.

::::

Meanwhile in Mistral, a meeting was taking place. Two men, two formidable beasts in their respected fields were sitting at private café. The first man had dark-red hair that was slicked back, a dark-red beard and mustache, and sharp blue eyes that scanned the room quietly like everything in the room was prey. The second man had short Silverish-gray hair, and light-azure eyes. He was wearing a dark grey business suit, black shirt and white tie. He too held a predatory look in his eyes, though of a different nature.

"So…why have you called me here, Grau Schnee? I would think a man of your stature would not waste either of our time with a simple meeting at a café." The red-haired man stated calmly.

"Please forgive me, Karias, I was surprised that the "Shark of Mistral" accepted this meeting so soon." Grau commented with a cold smirk on his face. "It is a great honor."

"Get to the point, Schnee." Karias commanded.

"Very well, Mr. Nikos. I called you here because of one particular individual. A boy named Jaune Arc. I am sure you've heard of him by now, the boy who led a force primarily of Beacon Academy Students against seasoned fighters of the White Fang and the Dread Bull and won." Grau explained.

"Jaune Arc…" Karias muttered. "The boy who is holding back my daughter. I know of him, yes. His mission and the rumored execution was flawed, barely worth twenty-two."

Grau nodded in agreement, though he did not know what Karias Nikos meant by twenty-two. "Yes…well…that boy is currently dating our daughters…" Karias was silent, though one look in his eyes would tell anyone that he was not happy about this one bit. Pyrrha never told him that she was dating a boy, let alone SHARING said boy with another girl. "…and several others if the information I got is right."

Karias raised an eyebrow. "It's well within his right as an Arc to date multiple women." He said calmly. "However…my daughter deserves better. I shall go and meet this Jaune Arc. He and I shall have…words." The calmness in his voice sent an invisible shiver up Grau's spine. He suddenly felt bad for the boy in question. Karias was a huntsman beyond skill and recognition. Words with him would be short and painful.

**End of Chapter 20**


	23. Chapter 21

**Mightier Than The Sword**

_First off, lemme say sorry for the delay; writers block, life, writers block, self-loathing, having my girlfriend break up with me casually, you know, the usual shit._

_I'd like to dedicate this chapter though to FlagshipArkos, even though there isn't any Arkos in it. They've been going through a rough time, and they've been a great friend and supportive of this menagerie of chaos that is this story._

_I'd also like to thank the fans for being patient. Somewhat. I actually got a "Whens the next chapter" PM!_

_Speaking of which, here it is! I'm going to call this chapter slightly weaker than Chapter 6 – While I tried, it just doesn't feel up to snuff with the rest of the story. And I wanted to do a lot more but I decided to cut it for a later plot._

_EDIT: I had to edit this chapter twice, how could I slip up like this?! Maybe because I feel so out of practice? _

_So without further ado, chapter 21:_

**Chapter 21 – Mounted Glenn**

Ruby was having a mini panic attack. She was about to go on a date with her boyfriend, her first date ever. A few months ago, if you had told her she was going on a date with "vomit boy", she would've laughed…well she could still laugh, considering Jaune still haven't got over his motion sickness. According to Blake, he still suffered from it, but often burn through his Aura just to stabilize his stomach.

Ah the benefits of having the largest reserves out of the two teams.

Still, these thoughts only distracted her from the current problem at hand; what to wear. Let's face it, Ruby was a epitome of the word tomboy. She might have worn a skirt, but it was a combat skirt. She was more into her weapons than boys and the thought of dating one didn't occur until they decided to share Jaune…at Beacon…where she couldn't shop for clothing.

She let out a huff. She did have some casual clothing, sure, which is why we find her pacing in her room wearing a pair of dark gray capris pants, a red t-shirt with her personalized symbol on the front in black, and a pair of black canvas sneakers. It was simple, and he hoped he liked it. She let out a sigh. Maybe she could convince Weiss to go shopping one day. She would ask her sister but she knew Yang's style wouldn't fit her not one bit.

Ruby blinked as she heard the sounds of laughter. It was Jaune, and another voice. Going over to the door, she peeked her head outside of it to see. Jaune was talking with a Faunus who was dressed like the other workers in the mansion.

'_Odd…I didn't know that there was a Faunus working here.'_ She thought confused. When they arrived at the mansion, they were greeted by all of the staff, a customary thing if she remembered what Weiss told her. She couldn't remember much from that meeting, as she was still in awe over the ship. _'Maybe I should've paid more attention.'_ She thought with a blush.

Looking at the two, she realized that they were really good friends. Jaune was telling the older male something animatedly while the male was laughing. She heard the word "Deathstalker" so she guessed Jaune was telling the other male about their initiation. With a smile, she stepped out of the room and greeted them.

"Hey Jaune," She greeted with a smile. "Nice look."

Jaune turned and gave Ruby a warm smile. "Thanks Rubes, you look amazing yourself."

"R-Really?" She squeaked as a blush formed on her face.

"Easy there lady killer," the Faunus male said with amusement in his voice. "She's going to die from embarrassment if you keep that up."

"Oh hush," Jaune told him, but there was a grin on his face.

"So uhh…who's this?" Ruby asked quickly trying to change the subject.

"Salutations, Lady Rose, I am Kieran Stratos, Jaune's personal assistant and body guard." Jaune elbowed Kieran in the stomach. "And his friend too. Are you happy now?"

"I'd be happier if you weren't all those things and just my friend," Jaune admitted with sigh.

"Don't worry Jaune, just because I work for you, doesn't mean I won't share any embarrassing secrets that I'm privy too," Kieran replied with a grin.

Jaune paled, "Y-You wouldn't dare!" Kieran raised an eyebrow. "You would dare. But be warned, I got dirt on you too! And I have Velvet on speed-dial!"

Kieran stopped grinning and whimpered. "I'll be good."

Ruby giggled at their antics. _'Is this what Yang and I are like? They seem very close like siblings.'_

"Anyways, Kieran will be driving us down to the city." Jaune explained.

"I would let Jaune do it like he should be doing, it's your guys date after all, but I rather not let him. He doesn't know how to drive, and well…there's a reason why I call him vomit boy." Jaune let out a groan as Ruby began to giggle uncontrollably confusing Kieran. "What?"

::::

Meanwhile in a darkened hotel room, Shin sat on his bed inspecting his blade. A dark smile grew on the man's face as he thought about the eventual battle ahead. His thoughts were interrupted as his Scroll beeped. Checking and then sheathing his blade, he picked up the device and opened it.

"Sir, we have confirmation that the target is in the city. He is currently in the presence of a young woman."

"She could be useful." Shin commented quietly.

"We also have confirmation of…another priority target."

"Oh?" Shin sounded interested. "Do tell."

"The target was being escorted by a Faunus Male. We I.D.'d the male as Kieran Stratos."

Shin's grin grew darker. Stratos. The name of the man who took his eyes, his precious life. To think that man's son was still alive. Well that made things more interesting. Shin began to laugh maniacally. How lucky was he? The son of the man who destroyed his eyes and the boy who killed Minos, all in the same town! "Perfect! Execute the plan with the Arc boy. I shall deal with the Stratos personally!"

"At once sir!"

::::

Ruby and Jaune stepped out of the car, and nearly kissed the ground. Ruby was shaking slightly, and Jaune looked slightly green. Kieran got out of the driver seat, and gave them a taunting smirk from over the roof. "What? Don't like my driving?"

"You drive just as recklessly as Yang!" Ruby exclaimed. She didn't even think that was even remotely possible. "How?!"

"Eheh…I do a little…street racing on the side…" Kieran offered weakly.

"Please don't do that again…" Jaune groaned as he tried to settle his stomach.

"Aww…fine…" Kieran then got serious. "You two have fun and enjoy yourselves. I'll be back around nine. And Jaune, give me a call if something happens."

"Wait, why do you assume something will happen?" Jaune asked narrowing his eyes.

"Do we need a repeat of your thirteenth birthday?" Kieran asked back.

"Right, let's go Ruby," Jaune said as he quickly took Ruby's hand and dragged her away as she giggled loudly at Jaune.

Kieran shook his head amused as he watched the couple leave. He really did hope they had a nice date. As they turned the corner, he got back into the car, and drove off. He had a call to make and he hoped it went well.

::::

The date was going well. Jaune had taken Ruby to a decent restaurant; not a shirt and tie affair due to the spontaneousness of the date, however it didn't detract from the atmosphere that was beginning to set. They were seated on a balcony table that overlooked the ocean as the sunset. It was such a beautiful sight and gave off a romantic atmosphere that Ruby adored. While she was a total tomboy, she did love the classic romantic settings and this one seemed right out of a fairy tale.

Dinner was a standard affair. Jaune ordered Penne all'arrabbiata while Ruby ordered a Chicken Penne. While they waited, they indulged into some small talk.

"So Jaune, how are you taking all of…this?" Ruby asked curiously.

Jaune gave her a confused look before realizing what she was asking. "Oh! Honestly…I don't think it sunk in yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" He sighed. "So much has been happening to us lately. With the relationship, dealing with the aftermath of the Battle of Loamstol, the impending fight with my father…and the fact that Vacuo has been silent after _he _took it over…I haven't had a chance to relax fully and sort my though my thoughts. Honestly, I'd probably freak out if I did." Seeing Ruby's questioning look, he continued. "I…really don't know what I did to deserve you all. And the fact that you all are still with me even after becoming bloodied…and I'm so confused to why my dad has been trying to hinder me…" He trailed off. "This is supposed to be a happy time, why am I ruining it by talking about my problems?"

"Nope." Ruby replied bluntly.

"I'm starting to have the strangest feeling of déjà vu…"

"Jaune, we're worried about you. You've been…so distant lately, throwing yourself into training, barely eating, and you sleep a lot…you're killing yourself slowly…" She trailed off with a sad look on her face, something that didn't look right on her face.

"Ruby…" Jaune whispered. She was right. He had been focusing solely on the fight at hand. "You're right…I'll slow down."

"That's all we ask…"

"Your meals," The Waiter interrupted, holding their food. Jaune stared at the man for a moment.

"What happened to the other guy?" He questioned confused.

"He had a bit of a stomach ache and we didn't want him handling the food," the new Waiter said kindly. "Now then, you had the Penne all'arrabbiata right? The chef's favorite indeed, he took extra care to preparing it." He said placing the meal in front of Jaune. "And my personal favorite for the lovely lady, Chicken Penne." He placed Ruby's meal in front of her. "Bon Appetit!" He finished walking away.

Jaune scratched his head in confusion before shrugging. "What he said."

::::

Jaune slowly came to. He held his head in pain as he groaned. Soon he felt someone put their hand on his head and the pain went away. He opened his eyes only to see Kieran sitting at his side.

"You okay, Jaune?" he asked helping the blond to his feet.

"Y-Yeah…just a bit…dizzy…what happened?" Jaune questioned confused. The last thing he remembered was…Ruby! The Date! "Where's Ruby?!"

"Probably with our lovely host right now." Kieran muttered angrily.

"What happened?" Jaune asked concerned.

"You and Ruby were drugged; they ambushed me, and knocked me out." Kieran explained. "They want us for something, but I don't know what."

"**Welcome Jaune Arc, Kieran Stratos." **A voice was heard. It was over a PA system. **"I hope your accommodations are to your liking? No? Well you don't have to stay there long."**

"Where are we and what have you done to Ruby?!" Jaune demanded to know.

"**We can see you but can't hear you, sorry. Anyways, you're currently in an abandoned apartment located in Mounted Glenn. Your objective is to find your way to the Underground Village located beneath the abandoned ruins, but be warned. Creatures of Grimm infest these ruins. Once the door opens, you will find weapons for you to use. You have five hours to complete this task or Miss Rose wilts and expires."**

"Damn it!" Jaune yelled punching the nearest wall. "When I get my hands on whoever planned this-"

"Calm down Jaune, we'll get her."

"**Oh and Kieran? We so happened to have a Miss Scarlatina here as well. Weren't you talking to her on your Scroll when we picked you up? We wanted to make sure each of you had a stake in this little game, brought to you by the Einhenjar Knights."**

"Einhenjar…Alain!" Jaune growled.

"Okay, now they die." Kieran added coldly.

"**Gentlemen," **the voice announced as the door opened. **"You may begin."**

**End of Chapter 21**


End file.
